Songbird
by TheJadedJester
Summary: Joker falls in love with his Arkham cell neighbor, a woman who is even more damaged than he is. This is the story of the Joker, the one woman who can calm his madness, battling mental illness, contract killers, villains and rogues becoming allies, a new clown posse in Gotham, and all manner of shenanigans, inappropriate humor, violence, smut, and foul language. You've been warned.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything.**

**Author's Note: **Another random inspiration that struck my brain during an insomnia driven all-nighter. I have ideas for it, but I'll only continue if people like it and want me to. Rated M for violence, language, eventual smut, triggers and all manner of inappropriate behaviors and jokes.

Raven scowled as the sounds of crashing cell walls, the loud, blaring alarms and rapid gunfire rattled her eardrums and her brain. Sure, she was thankful for the Joker's breakout, since his cell was next to hers and his henchmen had unknowingly freed her as well, but she always hated loud noises. She didn't know where the Joker and his men had run off to, and she didn't much care – she was getting the fuck out of here, and fast. She made quick work of slipping out of her cell and procuring a baton, flashlight, canister of mace and a gun from a couple of dead guards littering the floor of her cell block. She weaved through the bodies on the floor, ducking into empty cells and corridors whenever someone got too close for comfort. She made sure to keep to the shadows, draped in only her ratty Arkham issued sneakers and jumpsuit.

She crept along the wall in a dark, empty corridor and noticed the noise was dying down. She grinned maniacally, knowing she had to be close to the back exit she had been heading for, chills running down her spine as she anticipated her impending freedom from this shit hole. She crouched low as she neared the end of the corridor, carefully sticking her head out just far enough to peer around the corner and check if her route was clear. She was thankful for her jet black hair as it cascaded around her shoulders, shrouding her in more darkness as she risked exposure. She scanned the corridor for any signs of life and she smirked when she noticed none, slowly straightening up and sliding around the corner. She ignored the goosebumps that raised on her arms and the way her hair stood up on the back of her neck, chalking the nasty feeling up to her paranoia as she quietly made her way down the dark corridor, careful to lift her feet as she walked instead of shuffling like she usually did.

Raven was about ten feet from the exit door when she heard an eerie, chilling, slow laugh come from her left. She whipped around, brandishing the baton she'd stolen and came face to face with none other than the Joker. He was alone and completely shirtless, only wearing a pair of black pants, sneakers and a purple latex glove on his right hand. He stood quite close to her, grinning down at her with his gunmetal grills flashing and a wicked glint in his milky, pale blue eyes.

"Well, well, well... if it isn't my little songbird," the Joker crooned.

Raven rolled her eyes at him, ceasing her movements and turning to face him. He grinned maniacally at her, his signature laugh reverberating in the empty, dark corridor they stood in. "What do you want, clown? Can't you see I'm busy?" She snapped, glaring up at him as he closed the distance between them, circling her like a hawk would before descending upon its prey.

He wagged his finger at her, tutting her in a scolding manner. "That's not very nice, my little bird." He made a noise that sounded both like a growl and a purr as he came to face her, his pale blue eyes boring into her bright green ones. "Why won't you play with me?" He cocked his head to the side, his bottom red-stained lip jutting out in a pout.

"I've told you a hundred times, Joker - I _kill_ men, I don't play with them." She swung the baton lazily in her right hand, subtly threatening him. "Now if you don't mind, I'll be on my way." She moved to make her way to the door and growled when she felt his inhumanly pale hand catch her wrist in a tight, bruising grip. She whipped back around to face him, scowling.

"Would you kill _me_?" He whispered, his eyes glinting with amusement as he released her wrist to reach up and cup her face.

He brought his face closer to hers, his lips nearly touching hers as he stared into her eyes. With his free purple gloved hand, he reached behind him, pulling his gun from where he had tucked it into the waistband of his black pants, and shoved it into her hand. He giggled as she gripped it in her hand, examining it before she expertly racked the slide, cocked the hammer back and flicked the safety off.

He folded his hands behind his back as she leveled the barrel of the gun between his eyes, a wide grin spreading across his pale, tattooed face.

She laughed, keeping her finger to the side of the trigger and grinning back at him. "I would," she whispered.

He pressed his forehead harder against the barrel, licking his bright red, smeared lips. He gripped her forearm tightly in his hands, keeping her arm steady as she held the gun. "Do it," he snarled. "Do it, do it, do it, _DO IT!_"

"As you wish, Joker," she cooed. In one swift movement, she lifted the gun into the air and a loud, sudden shot rang out, echoing down the empty corridors surrounding them. His eyes darkened and his expression contorted into one of fury as he realized she just exposed their location.

"Thanks for the distraction!" Raven chirped, sprinting toward the exit door.

He wasn't fast enough to catch her as she kicked open the door, his gun still in her hand, and flung herself outside into the night, disappearing into the thick woods that surrounded the asylum.

He heard the stampede of police officers closing in on his location and ran out the door, quickly ducking around the side of the building and launching himself into the open doors of the waiting black van that was full of his henchmen. As soon as he was in, his goons were slamming the doors shut as the van sped off, careening dangerously through police cars and officers scattered all over the grounds of the asylum.

"You can run, my little songbird, but you can't _hide_," he sing-songed to himself in the back of the van, laughing maniacally as he was transported to his hideout. His laughter died down as they finally pulled up to his nightclub at the edge of Gotham city, surrounded by well-armed henchmen in different costumes and electric chain-link fences topped with crackling barbed wire. He grinned as he jumped out of the van, ignoring his henchmen as he made his way into the club and upstairs towards his concealed living quarters.

He walked down the dark, empty hallway until he reached the storage room. He walked in, maneuvering around supplies, and opened the breaker panel, carefully pulling the face of it off to reveal the touch pad underneath. He dialed in the code and waited as the back wall slid to the side to reveal his built-in apartment, complete with a living room with a large electric fireplace, a large kitchen, an office for personal use, a big master bedroom with a walk-in closet and a huge, luxurious bathroom.

He took in the familiar onyx floors and the matte black walls, casting the apartment in impenetrable darkness when the black curtains were drawn around the windows. All of his furniture was black, purple, and green and was all brand new and of top quality and design. He crossed the dark apartment and entered his bedroom, making his way to his closet where his jewelry and clothing were kept. He clapped gleefully when he saw that his henchmen had retrieved his gold necklaces and his rings and grinned, sauntering over to his bathroom to take a long, luxurious bath to soothe his aching muscles.

The breakout had gone according to plan, much to his delight, but it had taken its toll on his body. After being caged in a cell for so long, in a straight jacket with no room to move or exercise at all, he had become stiff and his neck, back and shoulders were riddled with knots and calcium deposits. He had gotten a good workout caving in the skulls of fellow patients, armed guards, and even a few doctors with a baseball bat, and he had taken his sweet time frying Doctor Quinzel's brains as revenge for her erasing his mind. He cackled at the memory as he sank himself into the luxurious spa-sized jacuzzi tub, groaning at the way the jets of water and the bubbles eased the tension and soreness in his body.

His spread his arms across the top of the tub, sprawling out lazily in it and rolling his head back, closing his dark-rimmed eyes and letting his mind wander as he soaked.

Memories of the asylum sprang to the forefront of his mind and he grinned, his gunmetal grills glinting in the light of the bathroom as flashes of his little asylum neighbor came to him. "Naughty, naughty," he growled, slipping into his first memory of the intriguing woman.

_The Joker was sitting on the cot in his cell, wrapped in his straight jacket and leaning back against the wall when a chilling, humorless laugh cut through the regular cacophony of Arkham Asylum. He grinned, sliding off the cot and to his feet, quickly making his way to his cell door to take a look at the fresh meat. _

_His eyes flashed as they met hers – big, bright green and glittering with insanity. He delighted in the sound of her humorless laughter, raking his eyes over her petite form as she was roughly escorted down the cell block. She was 5'2", around 108 pounds, and she had long, wavy black hair, high cheek bones, a thin nose, full and plump red-stained lips, and long eyelashes lining her pretty eyes that were nearly hidden behind black-rimmed designer glasses that fit her face nicely. Her face was thin and feminine, perfectly angled and her features all symmetrical. She was wearing a black crop top shirt that didn't hide much with its deep v-neck, accentuating her round, perky c-cups. Her jeans were a whitish-gray color, acid washed and ripped from the tops of her legs to her ankles, showing off her nicely shaped and smooth legs. She had strappy heels on - black, with pointed toes and a 4 inch heel on them. The outfit was enticing, to say the least, but the Joker personally liked it even more with the bright red and rust colored blood stains smeared all over it. _

_Her hands and arms, he noticed, were caked to the elbows in blood that looked quite fresh. The same blood was smeared on her face, her neck and chest, and her black heels were stained with rust-colored blood. She was still laughing as she passed his cell, and he felt a jolt of electricity shoot down his spine as he made brief eye contact with her at such close range. He began barking his own signature laugh when he realized they had put her in the cell next to his, and he watched with interest as the guards roughly flung her down on her cot, tossing a jumpsuit and sneakers at her and demanded that she change. She glared at them defiantly, a creepy grin spreading across her face as she shifted herself into a sitting position. _

_In a heartbeat, she had slammed one of her feet right up between the legs of one guard, catching him right in the junk with the pointed toe of her heel. He howled in pain, dropping to his knees as the other guard shouted for assistance with the new 'patient'. Doctor Quinzel quickly rushed into the cell, glaring at the new patient as she neared her. The raven haired lunatic laughed gleefully at Doctor Quinzel and the Joker licked his lips in anticipation of what she'd do next. He noticed that Doctor Quinzel had one of those tranquilizer loaded needles in her hand and he giggled from where he stood, distracting the doctor he had manipulated into falling for him just long enough for the raven haired woman to snatch the needle from the doctor with her teeth and jam it into her thigh. She brought her legs up and used her knee to slam the needle further into Doctor Quinzel's thigh, causing the drug to release into her body. _

_The other guard had come storming back into the cell and when his eyes fell upon the scene before him, he roughly yanked the woman up by her hair and forcefully slammed her face-down on her cot, holding her head down with one knee jammed into the back of her neck and his other one pressing down on her spine. He called for more backup and when there was an entire team of guards in the cell, they released her from her handcuffs long enough to cut her clothes off and force her into her jumpsuit before shackling her ankles and wrists. She had screamed and flailed like a wild animal, her eyes turning almost black in her rage as they had stripped and redressed her, and she had managed to successfully injure a few guards with her vicious kicks and scratches. _

_When it was all over and the injured guards and Doctor Quinzel's unconscious form were removed from her cell, the Joker had hissed at her to get her attention. She was sprawled lazily on her cot, one arm and one leg draping off the edge of it and hanging towards the floor. She slowly turned her head to look at him and he grinned. His trademark laugh carried along the entire block and she smirked at the sound. "Hiya," he whispered, so close to the bars that divided their cells that his face was almost pressed into them. "I like your style, toots." _

_She grinned at him, not moving from where she lay on her cot, and chuckled. "My ex boyfriend sure didn't," she joked, shooting him a wink. She lifted her hands and held them close to her face, examining the caked blood that completely covered them and she burst out laughing, sparking a bout of laughter from the Joker himself. She ripped her gaze from her hands and looked back at the Joker, quirking a brow as she took in his bright green, slicked back hair, his 'damaged' forehead tattoo, eerily pale skin, the 'J' tattoo on his cheek, gunmetal gray grills in his mouth and his red smeared lips. "You're the guy that's always fucking around with the Batman," she said, a little smirk playing on her lips. "The Joker, right?" _

"_The one and only, babe," he whispered huskily, winking at her. "What's your name?" He asked, more and more intrigued by this small woman as he watched her. _

"_Whatever you want it to be," she teased, rolling over on her cot so her back was to him. He raised an eyebrow at her and chuckled quietly before making his way back to his cot, flopping down on his back and staring up at the ceiling. "What an interesting creature," he muttered, grinning to himself as he prepared for yet another sleepless night. He had never slept at night here, oh no. One always had to be on their guard here in case any of the staff, guards and doctors alike were feeling... froggy. There were many times he had feigned sleep and heard one of them sneaking into his cell, fully prepared with a tranquilizer needle and a bag to put over his head, and he had nearly bitten off their limbs in the ensuing struggles. Sure, they had learned to stop sneak-attacking him in the night, but he still wouldn't sleep. Even if it was safe to sleep here, he still couldn't - he could only sleep in his own bedroom in his fortress. No, the Joker would never be weak or vulnerable outside of his bedroom. Never. _

_That changed as soon as he heard it - a soft, melodic noise coming from his right. He turned his head and squinted, taking in the silhouette of his new neighbor, shrouded in the darkness of their cell block. He thought she had fallen asleep when she had turned over, but as he slowed his breathing and strained his ears, he could make out her voice. She was singing, soft and low. The song seemed to be a sad one, from what he could tell by the melancholy tone of her voice. He lifted his head and used his upper body strength to sit up, being careful not to make any noise and alert her to his eavesdropping. As he listened, he found himself relaxing, enjoying her voice and the calm it seemed to lull him into. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep - sitting on his cot, leaning back against the wall with his head slumped over on his shoulder. _

His eyes popped open as the memory faded away and he snarled, scraping his hands down his face and smearing his makeup. He splashed water into his face, scrubbing it clean of the black smudges around his eyes and the red lipstick on his mouth and quickly scrubbed the rest of his body before getting out of the tub and turning off the bubbles and jets. He stalked over to the vanity and took in his reflection, his pale lips and pale blue eyes, nearly translucent in contrast to his paper white skin. He lazily smeared fresh makeup over his eyes and lips and stalked into his bedroom, putting all of his rings and gold necklaces back on before dressing himself in a black button up, black slacks, black Italian leather dress shoes, and his shiny purple blazer. He kept only the bottom three buttons of his shirt buttoned, showing off his tattooed chest and stomach, and loosely hung a silver tie around his neck, leaving it undone. He slicked his green hair back and spritzed on a little cologne before stepping out of his room, making his way through the secret door and down to the basement of the building.

"JOHNNY!" He shouted, his voice booming through the empty space. Johnny Frost finally appeared, approaching the Joker cautiously - he had that familiar, murderous look on his face and Johnny felt a chill run down his spine. The Joker glared at him, snatching his shoulder holster from Johnny and peeling off his purple jacket, slipping the holster on over his button up shirt, seeming satisfied that his guns were already snugly tucked into their designated holsters. He shrugged his purple jacket back on and finally spoke, his voice gruff and raspy. "Did you get me what I asked for?"

His signature laugh bounced off the walls as Johnny handed over a manila envelope labeled with a patient identity number from Arkham Asylum. "Good boy," the Joker sing-songed, flipping open the folder and grinning when his eyes fell on an image of his songbird, glaring at the camera and covered in blood. "That's my girl," he whispered, stroking his pale finger down the picture. He was torn from his musings when Johnny coughed, signaling all the henchmen had come into the room. The Joker lifted his head, eyeballing each one of them deliberately before he sneered, irritated by their presences. "What the fuck are you all looking at? Get back to work! I want this place up and running... _now," _he barked, causing them all to scramble out of the room and upstairs to the club on the first floor, cleaning up the space and getting it ready for its reopening later tonight.

"Johnny," he called, beckoning the man back to him with his finger. "I want you to run a few... _errands... _for me."

Johnny swallowed hard, taking down a mental list of all the things Joker told him to do and all the people he wanted him to go and see. "Anything else?" he asked, fingering his car keys in his pocket.

The Joker dismissed him with a flick of his wrist, slowly making his way upstairs and to his bigger, soundproof office tucked behind the VIP section of the club. He sat himself at the head of the large, oak table, and began flipping through the contents of the manila folder, looking for addresses that he might find her at. "Raven..." his eyes lit up at his discovery of her first name. "I _knew _it, I knew you were a bird!" He giggled as he carefully read the police report in her file, raising his eyebrows at the detailed description of her savagery. "66 times," he muttered to himself, admiring the woman's drive. "What a strong little bird she is! _My _strong little bird."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything.**

**Author's Note: **I decided to throw another chapter out there since I can't get the ideas and the story out of my head long enough to truly focus on Riddle Me This. So, here's another one for you. Enjoy. :)

**WARNING: **This story is rated M for a reason. If you didn't read the Author's Note in the last chapter, read this very carefully – this entire story is a giant trigger warning. This chapter contains domestic violence, foul language, sexual content, and will not be the worst of them. I have based this OC on myself and my past experiences with abuse of all kinds and my trauma, so some of these memories will actually be branched off of my own _real_ memories. You have been warned!

* * *

It had been a week since the Arkham Asylum breakout and the Joker was at his wits end. He had searched all week for Raven, as did his henchmen, and none of them found her. He had studied Raven's file, her entire history from birth until now, and learned all he possibly could about her. He checked her childhood home, the home she shared with her ex boyfriend in the woods that was now abandoned and haphazardly wrapped in police tape, her favorite dive bars and pubs, he had staked out her friends and family's houses – he even had a nasty little run-in with Doctor Quinzel, much to his displeasure. They had scoured the entire city for her and came up with _zip, zero, zilch._

He hadn't slept all week. He paced his bedroom at night, breaking and throwing things, muttering to himself and smearing gibberish all over the walls in red lipstick. He had shot and killed about a dozen of his own men in fits of rage or while suffering hallucinations due to sleep deprivation. At this point, his men were terrified to respond to his calls or his shouts, never knowing when he'd turn on them and waste them in a rage. They had learned the hard way to cover the floors with plastic at all times, making the cleanup easier day after day.

At the moment, he was in the VIP section of the club, watching all of the people at the bar and on the dance floor from his booth. He was leaning forward, his cane between his slightly spread legs, his hands loosely folded over each other on top of it. He rolled his head, cracking his neck and groaning, sore and tense from the hellish week. He snapped his fingers and one of his henchmen cautiously approached him, bracing himself to be shot. Instead, the Joker simply demanded that he go to the bar and get him a bottle of whiskey with a bucket full of ice and a glass. It was going to be a long night – it was Friday, the club had been open only an hour so far and was entirely packed, and it was only 9:00.

When the man returned with the whiskey and poured him a glass on the rocks, the Joker pounded it down and flicked his hand to dismiss him. He looked back out over the dance floor, grimacing at the sloppy movements of the drunken patrons, completely uninterested until he saw _her_ – right there, in the center of the dance floor, rolling her hips seductively and running her hands all over some other man's body as she danced with him. The Joker snarled, quickly getting to his feet and making his way to the set of stairs that led to the dance floor, using his cane as he went. He threw up a hand when two of his men attempted to flank him, shaking his head in annoyance. "Stay," he growled, not bothering to look at them. His eyes were glued to Raven as she danced with the man, slithering up and down the man's body like a snake, and his grip on his cane became so tight his knuckles nearly ripped through his skin.

"Raven!" he shouted jubilantly, grinning as the music immediately stopped and everyone parted as if they were the Red Sea and he was Moses. His presence alone sucked the air out of the room, and everyone stood still as statues as he made his way towards the black haired woman. The man she was dancing with, to Joker's amusement, was intelligent enough to take his hands off the woman and step back from her, joining the rest of the crowd. Once he reached her, he tapped her calf with his cane to get her attention, waiting patiently as she finally turned to face him.

"Long time, no see, little bird," he glared down into her green eyes and tilted her chin up with two of his fingers. "Where, _oh_ _where_, have you been?"

"Around," she teased, winking at him.

His signature laugh rang out, and he relished in the way everyone in the room seemed to shudder at the sound. Not Raven, though. Oh no, not his little songbird. She _smiled._

His eyes raked over her, taking in her smokey eye makeup, her deep burgundy lipstick, her loosely curled hair and the sexy, revealing outfit she wore. He licked his own red lips as he examined her outfit - a black skin tight bandage style strapless dress that barely reached mid-thigh, pushed her C cups up and showed off the swell of her breasts. She wore the same shoes he had seen her in when she was first admitted to Arkham, and he assumed these had to be new. There were no blood stains – they looked quite clean. The straps came up her ankles and looked very sexy on her, and he groaned at the sight of them, images of her the first time he ever saw her flashing in his mind.

"Let's chat, shall we?" he sing-songed, holding out his hand to her. He watched her carefully, predicting that she would refuse the offer and choose to insult him instead – and then he'd have to kill her, unfortunately. It was one thing for her to treat him in such a way from her neighboring cell in Arkham, it was another for her to do it in his own club in front of his guests and his henchmen. To his surprise and utter joy, she took his hand and let him lead her back to the VIP section. Once they reached the stairs, he turned and faced the crowd, a murderous expression on his pale face. "Well, carry on," he hissed, motioning with his hand for the DJ to put the music back on. The look he gave the DJ told the man all he needed to know, and he put on the Joker's signature song – _Purple_ _Lamborghini_.

The Joker led Raven to his booth and motioned politely for her to sit. He sat down opposite her and leaned his cane next to him as he spread his arms out over the top of the booth, stretching out his long legs and leaning back comfortably. He signaled for his men to get Raven a drink, giving her a moment to tell them what she wanted – Jameson whiskey with ginger ale. "Whiskey?" he mused, motioning to the bottle he had on ice. "Well, we're just two of a kind, aren't we?"

She took her drink, sipped it, and thanked the man that gave it to her before addressing the Joker. "I came to return this to you," she said confidently, slowly reaching under the table and producing the gun she had taken from him the night of the breakout. He was confused as he took it from her, examining it and confirming it was, indeed, the very same gun. He eyed her, studying her figure and her dress again, silently wondering where she could have hidden it without him or anyone else noticing. She laughed, following his train of thought, and licked her lips.

"Oh, Joker," she cooed, leaning forward in her seat and stroking his cheek with her thumb. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing for a moment as he enjoyed the jolts of electricity the contact sent through his body, and almost snapped when she took her hand away. He opened his eyes and leaned forward, waiting for her to explain.

"I'm afraid your security here is... _lacking._"

His eyes widened in surprise, a malicious smile stretching across his face, and he laughed. "Oh?" he replied, his tone deceptively calm despite the storm raging in his pale eyes.

She nodded, grinning at him, taking a healthy swig of her drink. "Well, you guys _have _been such busy little bees all week."

He stood and crossed over to loom over her. She showed no fear, slowly lifting her gaze to meet his, leaning back in her seat and actually looking _smug_.

"I have to admit, you were quite clever. You looked in every single place I've lived and frequented. Well done." She slowly clapped her hands, sarcastically applauding him. "Too bad you never looked in any of the places you thought I _wouldn't_ be."

He growled at her, his control slipping as he snapped his hand out and closed it around her throat, squeezing hard enough for spots to form in her vision but not enough to truly suffocate her.

"Do you have any idea how lucky you are, songbird?" he hissed. She showed no signs of fear, she didn't struggle, and she didn't beg. Instead, she laughed, and he knew right then and there his next words would be the truest he ever spoke. "I won't kill you – in fact, I _need_ you alive."

He released her, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared at her, restraining himself from touching her again. "You do?" She asked, taking another swig of her drink and never removing her gaze from his, completely unaffected by his violent outburst.

He nodded. "Oh yes, _yes_. You see, you conditioned me during your time as my cell neighbor." He slowly lowered himself to sit next to her, dancing his fingers slowly up her arm. "I've grown accustomed to falling asleep to your songs – and now, well... _now _I can't sleep at all." He turned his head towards the dance floor and spotted the man that Raven had been dancing with, not too far away from one of his blended in henchmen. "Watch," he growled, motioning to the two men in his sights. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled, catching his henchman's attention, and nodded his head towards the man Raven had been with. In the blink of an eye, the henchman had drawn his gun and blown a hole in the back of the other man's head. Screams and shouts broke out on the dance floor and hysteria ensued – people were trampling the man's corpse and each other as they scrambled for the doors, quickly fleeing the club and the grounds it sat on in fear.

The Joker laughed, draping an arm lazily over Raven as she watched the scene unfold before her, seemingly unaffected. He suddenly stopped laughing and snapped his gaze back to her, grabbing her face and forcing her to look at him. "I've killed a dozen of my own men, Raven. I'm not very _friendly _when I'm sleep deprived and hallucinating. _That," _he motioned to her date's corpse on the dance floor, his brain matter and blood smeared all over the floor in a grotesque display, "is a warning. I need you to stay here and sing me to sleep at night so I can function. I'm a businessman, Raven – I need to be on my game at all times."

She laughed, removing his arm from her shoulders and stood up, finishing off her drink. "I don't think so," she said coolly, shaking her head at him. He snapped up out of his seat and fisted a hand in her black locks, holding her in place. "I wasn't _asking_, little bird," he snarled, using his free hand to wrap around her throat in a bruising grip. It both infuriated and intrigued him that violence, especially aimed at her, never shocked or scared her. Even now, she still had an amused look on her face, no hint of fear in her eyes, and she was absolutely calm.

"Boys, take out the trash and bring the whiskey up to my room – zip ties, too. You know where to put them." His henchmen quickly made their way out of the VIP section and set to work before he shot any more of them.

"Zip ties? Are you trying to get kinky with me, clown?" she choked out, grinning madly at him as she stoked his ire.

"Oh, you have _no_ idea," he whispered, releasing her throat and her hair. He quickly snatched his gun off the table and picked up his cane, never once taking his eyes off of the sneaky, small woman. "Come with me." He racked the slide on the gun and grinned, listening as a bullet was loaded into the chamber, and turned off the safety before cocking the hammer down. He gripped her hand tightly in his and made a show of slipping the gun into the holster under his suit jacket, tugging her along as he walked with his cane out of the club area and towards the stairs that led to the storage room.

"Joker, I'm not staying here," she said fiercely, but did not make a move to slip out of his grip. He didn't respond or even laugh, just kept on tugging her along until they reached the storage room. "In," he barked, opening the door. She looked at him quizzically after scanning the stocked storage room, confused. He growled, shoving her into the cramped space and closing the door behind them. "Close your eyes," he commanded, waiting until she did as he bade before making his way to the breaker box and pulling the face off to key in the code on the touch pad. Once he replaced the face of the breaker box and closed it, stepping a safe distance away from the box, he tapped her nose with the tip of his finger and whispered for her to open her eyes.

He gripped her hand again and pulled her through the mess in the storage room and into his apartment, grinning as the storage room wall shut behind them, effectively trapping her. "Home sweet home!" he shouted, spreading his arms wide and spinning around theatrically. "I sure hope ya like it – you're never leaving!" He gleefully strode through the living room and towards his bedroom, beckoning for her to follow him. He chuckled at the sound of her exasperated sigh from behind him, her footsteps echoing off the onyx floor as she followed him. "Clothes are in there," he pointed to his walk-in closet. She raised an eyebrow at him and he just grinned at her, stripping off his suit jacket and quickly unbuttoning the rest of his shirt, pulling it off along with his gun holster and the loose tie he had draped around his neck. He was working on his slacks when she re-emerged from the closet, sporting a confused look as she held a plain black t shirt and a pair of sweatpants in her hand. "I uh... I hope you don't mind, I couldn't find anything more... _my size." _

He made his way over to her, noticing the way her eyes raked over his naked upper body and grinned. "I'll have Johnny get you some clothes tomorrow. For now, you'll wear mine." He tapped her nose again and smiled at her, leaning his head down and putting his lips close to her ear. His breath ghosted over her skin as he whispered to her and she shivered involuntarily, enjoying his closeness and the tingles his breath against her skin caused. "_After _we take a bath."

"What?" She startled at that, going rigid. It was the first reaction he'd ever been able to pull out of her since knowing her and he grinned.

"I'm not in the habit of repeating myself, beautiful," he crooned. "Chop, chop! Get in there!" He shooed her towards the bathroom, pushing her through the door and towards the tub. "Sit," he said, motioning towards a chair in front of the vanity. He watched her carefully as he turned on the jets to the jacuzzi tub, filling the bath with what he called 'fancy bubbly shit'. He was amused as she took in her surroundings, gaping at the onyx walls and flooring, the jacuzzi tub, the giant shower with a sliding glass door and six different shower heads, three on each side. The tub was silver, so was the vanity, and all of the towels and furniture in the room.

"Still want to leave?" he teased, placing two large towels on the rolling cart beside the tub. He began slipping all of his jewelry off – his chains, his watches and bracelets, his rings.

She snapped her head towards him, a defiant glare in her eyes, and nodded. "Sure do," she hissed, not one to ever show weakness or submission of any kind.

He knew that much just from watching her during their time in Arkham – he didn't need her file for that. "Let's play a game," he mused. "You pretend you don't want to be here, and I'll pretend I believe you."

With that, he unbuttoned his slacks and let them pool around his feet, stepping out of them and sliding off his boxers. He didn't bother turning to catch her staring – after all, he could _feel _her eyes on him. "Your loss," he called once he was in the tub and sprawled out comfortably, noticing she hadn't moved from her seat at the vanity. He let his head loll back and closed his eyes, humming to himself as the jets pounded at his back. After about ten minutes, he opened his eyes. His patience had worn out, and he was about a hair away from dragging her into the tub by her pretty hair.

He glared at her, his lips in a tight line. "I'll make you a deal. You get in this tub with me _right now_, or you tell me how you broke in here and planted that gun."

She glared back at him from where she sat at the vanity, her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "_Or_, I won't do either, and I'll leave."

"You... you, you, you,_ you._" He leaned forward in the tub, crossing his arms over the edge. "You're starting to piss me off."

"You pissed me off for nearly a year straight, we're hardly even." She retorted.

He raised his eyebrows (or lack thereof) at her, laughing. "I was a perfect neighbor," he argued, his rage slowly dissipating. As long as she kept talking to him, he could reign in his temper and maintain control. It was when she was defiant, quiet, and challenged him that he wanted to strangle her until he could see the light leave her eyes.

"Maybe the first night, when you kept that crazy bitch from tranquilizing me, but never again after that."

"Oh, yes. _Doctor _Quinzel. She was the perfect puppet. Actually, I ran into her recently." He grinned at Raven, beckoning her closer to him. She rolled her eyes but scooted the chair close to the edge of the tub, watching him like a hawk as he placed his wet, pale hands on her knees and slowly slid them up her thighs, stopping at the hem of her dress. "Apparently, she's in _love_ with me." Raven noticed the way he spat out the four letter word as though it was venom, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

She laughed, leaning back in her seat and quirking a brow at him. "I'm listening," she prodded.

He leaned forward and nipped at the skin of her thigh, unable to help himself now that she was so close. He glanced up at her, noticing her expression still reflected her amusement, and spread his fingers across both of her thighs, marveling at how large his hands were compared to her tiny form.

"I may have pushed her a little _too _far," he giggled at the memory of her crashing her bike, risking him running her over, and shooting that trucker in cold blood – all in the name of a silly, useless, _weak _emotion. "She's absolutely crazy, one hundred percent."

Raven looked at him expectantly and he groaned, dramatically rolling his eyes in annoyance before telling her the full story – from the moment Harleen pulled up next to him on her motorcycle to the point where he abandoned her on the road, getting back in his car to continue his search for Raven.

"That explains why she hated me from the jump," Raven chuckled, shaking her head. "To be honest, we all thought the two of you were fucking during your sessions."

The Joker laughed boisterously at that, as if the idea itself was absurd. "God, no. She was just a means to an end. How do you think we got out?"

She stopped laughing, dropping her gaze to his and furrowing her eyebrows. "Come again?"

"Silly bird! Did you think you got out on pure luck? No! I _wanted _you out with me." He squeezed her thighs, digging his nails into her flesh and drawing a hiss from her. "I needed you out with me," he whispered, leaning forward once more and biting her thigh where he had nipped it before.

His eyes met hers again and she was startled at the sight – they had darkened significantly from his usual pale blue to nearly black. "Joker..."

His tone was icy as he shouted, his grip on her thighs tightening and becoming quite painful. She refused to flinch, meeting his gaze head on and showing no fear. She would not show weakness in front of him.

"But then you _ran away from me! _Threw me to the wolves and took off into the night, with _my _gun!"

She had seen the Joker angry before – very angry, actually – but never like this. She had never seen him transform into the monster before her, the one with black eyes and a chilling, deep voice that struck fear into her heart. Still, she didn't show her fear, and she refused to flinch or remove his hands from her. She kept a straight face and reigned in her own temper – after all, she always blacked out when she lost her temper and when she blacked out, people died.

"Gee, my apologies for wanting to split before the god damn Batman showed up!" her tone was dripping with sarcasm, unable to help herself as her anger surged inside her.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. He hissed as his hands released her thighs and latched onto her arms, forcefully yanking her into the tub. Her eyes burned and she choked and spluttered as she came up, a nasty taste in her mouth from the water and bubble bath she swallowed. "Dammit, clown!" she screeched, slicking her soaked hair back out of her face. He snaked his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her body flush against his naked one and dropping his head to rest on her shoulder. She wasn't deceived by the seemingly affectionate hold – she knew this was his way of forcing her to stay in the tub. This was him keeping her from escaping.

"I give you a 'get out of jail free' card, and you try to hand me over to the bat?" His voice was low and laced with venom, and she knew she had pushed him too far. She said nothing, knowing anything that came out of her mouth would further provoke him. It was just in her nature to be a mouthy, rude bitch. She always had been.

"I'm a man of my word, so I won't kill you – but that doesn't mean I won't hurt you really, _really _bad."

He released her, climbing out of the tub and slipping into the sweatpants she had brought in before fisting her hair in one hand, dragging her painfully out of the tub and releasing her just as her body started to topple to the floor. He laughed as she crashed gracelessly into the onyx floor head-first and a feral snarl ripped its way from her throat.

"Come on, baby, get up," he taunted, delirious with rage. "Give me all you got – give it to me like you gave it to Damian."

Her blood boiled at the mention of her ex's name and she pulled herself up on her knees, glaring at the Joker. "Shut the fuck up," she hissed, putting up a single finger in warning.

"Oh, have I struck a nerve? You don't wanna talk about stabbing him 66 times... _after _you slit his throat? Oh yes, I read your file – I know _all about you._ Show me what you got," he was purposely goading her and she wasn't sure why, unless he _wanted _her to lose control. If that was the case, well, he was _definitely_ insane. That would be a fight to the death – one similarity between her and the Joker was their lack of control once they snapped, there was no stopping – they would only stop when the other person was good and dead.

"Don't," she warned him.

He laughed, watching her eyes darken and expression contort with her rage. This was the first time he would see her unhinged since the first time he ever laid eyes on her – he wanted to see what she was like when she lost control, when the darkness took hold of her and she was reduced to a feral, rabid beast. He had spent the entire week without her desperately clinging to the already frayed thread of sanity that remained within his mind, consumed by thoughts and memories of her and missing her. It was absolute torture, and he wasn't comfortable with needing another human being just to function on a daily basis. He wanted to break her and corrupt her brain like she had done to him – fair is fair, right?

She wasn't hearing him anymore once her eyes went completely dark and her face turned to stone. She was losing control, feeling the darkness beginning to seep in and take hold of her as the fractured memory of that fateful night with Damian hit her like a ton of bricks, forcing its way to the forefront of her mind.

_They had gotten into yet another fight about his drinking and his cheating, and after two years of his bullshit she'd had enough. She had been packing up her things in her fury, her back turned to him when he struck. He grabbed her by the hair, forcefully shoving her face-first into the splintered hardwood floor. He yanked her up to her knees by her hair, holding her firmly in place as he put his snub-nosed .44 magnum revolver to the back of her head, cocking the hammer back as he towered over her from behind. _

_She laughed, chilling him to the bone with the humorless sound, and turned her head boldly to look him in the eye from where she knelt on the floor. "That's the third fucking time you've put a loaded gun to my head, dick," she spat. She grinned wickedly at him as he menacingly shoved the barrel harder into her skull, remaining silent. "What did I tell you the last two times, you fucking idiot? What did I tell you?!" _

_With that, she snatched the gun from his hand, training it on him as she reset the hammer, flicking the safety on with her thumb before descending upon the man – all 6'2", 200 pounds of him – in her rage. She brandished the revolver by the barrel, pistol whipping him violently with the grip until she nearly caved his face in, and tossed the gun to the side. She grinned at him, mocking him as he writhed and moaned in pain and cupped his face. "I told you the next time you put a fucking loaded gun to my head, you better kill me, because if you didn't – I'd kill **you.**"_

_She laughed at him, making her way out of the room and down the hallway towards the bathroom to retrieve her toiletries. As soon as she had them all loaded up in bags and made to exit the bathroom, he was on her, making a grab for her hair again, his battered face contorted with his fury. "I'm so sick of your shit, you crazy bitch!" he seethed as he missed her by mere inches. _

_She cackled, dropping the bags in her hands and delivering a swift, hard punch to his mouth. She examined her bloody knuckles with a look of pure glee as she noticed the teeth marks in them, grabbing a pair of scissors from the bathroom counter with her free hand and swiping them at him, forcing him to back out of the doorway he'd been blocking. She made her way to the kitchen counter, just a few feet to her left, and grabbed the knife block. She pulled every single knife from it, one by one, throwing them directly at his head and mockingly groaning as she missed by mere inches each time. She pulled the last knife from its sheath, grinning at the large french knife before angrily slamming it down into the counter, smashing the blade to pieces in her rage. _

_He had taken advantage of her distraction and gained on her, brandishing a shitty pocket knife and she laughed, making a swipe to take it. She missed and laughed again, picking the scissors back up from the counter and slashing at him, missing him by a hair. The next thing she knew, they had somehow grappled and tumbled outside to the deck, down the stairs, and halfway across the three acre yard, with him brandishing his shitty pocket knife and her brandishing the scissors and a pocket knife of her own – one that, ironically, he had given her for her birthday. Things escalated quickly from there, and before she knew it, blood was gushing from his throat like a waterfall as he gurgled and choked, and she was standing above him as he bled to death, choking on his pleas for mercy._

_The last thing she remembered was cackling in the police station, covered in her ex's blood, swinging her legs happily in her seat like a child. And then she was at Arkham Asylum, singing herself to sleep as she wept, afraid and confused. _

She snapped back to reality when she was tossed into the still-full tub, nearly drowning in her shock as she flailed and kicked in the water. She whipped her head around, panicking when she didn't immediately recognize her surroundings, and clumsily crawled out of the tub. Her sopping wet, tight black dress clung uncomfortably to her, her hair was knotted and slicked against her skin and she growled with annoyance. She looked around until she finally found a towel, wrapping herself up in it and unaware of the seething, pale man in the corner sporting bruises and cuts from her wild attacks. It was only when she turned around, trying to find a way out, that she finally noticed him – and when she did, her eyes bulged.

"What happened?" She asked, her confusion bleeding into her expression. Bits and pieces of the past few hours started to come back to her, making absolutely no sense to her. She remembered being at the club, the VIP section, the storage closet, and arguing with the Joker – and then everything went black.

"I underestimated you," he said calmly, cracking his neck and knuckles. "I have to admit – I'm impressed, birdie."

"I don't understand," she said slowly, peering past him and to the bedroom beyond. She could make out some disarray in the room – a broken lamp, blood spatters here and there, a gold butterfly knife on the floor, and what looked like remnants of a smashed vase. "Did _I_ do this?"

That chilling laugh flooded the room and she shuddered at it for the first time ever, too disoriented and afraid to hide her emotions. She followed the Joker as he made his way into the trashed bedroom, beckoning for her to follow. Once she stepped inside, careful to avoid the knife on the floor, she gasped. There was blood all over the place, smashed glass and porcelain all over the floor, ripped clothing and sheets on the bed, the closet door was ripped off its hinges and lay broken on the floor, and more knives were randomly strewn all over the place, some smeared with blood.

She looked back at the Joker, waiting for an explanation. He ran his hands down his face and shook his head, spreading his arms wide and motioning with his hands to the state of the room and then to his own body, quite battered and bloody. "This was both of us, darling, but _this,_" he pointed to a large, jagged gash on his left arm that began at his elbow and ended at his middle finger, still bleeding and looking quite raw, "was _you_."

"Fuck," she whispered, pulling the towel tighter around her shoulders, trying to piece together what exactly she had done. He was approaching her slowly, almost snake-like in his movements, and finally closed the distance between them. "You have some nasty ones, too," he whispered, jamming his finger roughly into a large, wide cut that ran across her collarbone. She hissed in pain, feeling the blood trickling down her chest and seeping into her soaked dress.

He stalked away from her, reaching into a nightstand by the bed and retrieving his cell phone. He put it up to his ear and muttered orders to someone on the other line before hanging up and slipping back into the bathroom. When he came back out, he had the black t shirt she had originally grabbed for herself in his hand and he placed it on the bed, along with a first aid kit. "When I'm finished cleaning us both up, you'll put that on, and then you'll sing for me, my little bird." It wasn't a question or a suggestion – it was a command. She took one more look around the room before nodding her head, speechless for the time being.

He opened the first aid kit and pulled out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and some gauze. "This is gonna sting," he said gleefully, twisting the cap off the bottle and pouring the fluid directly into the gash on her chest and into the other numerous wounds marring her skin. Once he was satisfied, he turned the bottle on himself and sanitized his own wounds, ignoring the blood still gushing from the jagged slash on his arm. He grinned as Johnny came into the room and handed the Joker a pack of Marlboro reds, a gold zippo lighter, a bottle of ibuprofen, two bottles of water, and two silk robes – one black and purple, the other black and green.

The Joker dismissed Johnny with a wave of his hand and the man disappeared. He made his way back over to Raven where she sat perched on the bed and licked his lips. He opened the bottle of ibuprofen and dug out three for himself and another three for her. He cracked open a bottle of water and swallowed his down before handing the water to her, watching her as she took hers.

"Good girl," he said quietly, sitting down beside her on the bed. "Now for the fun part!"

She knew the malicious look on his face didn't bode well as he pulled two cigarettes from the pack, lighting them both before handing one to her. He took a few long, deep drags from his own before he grinned at her and jammed the lit end of the cigarette into the edge of the cut on her chest, cauterizing that section of the wound. "_FUCK!_" She shouted, startled by the sudden action. She had to grip the pillow next to her to stop herself from striking him in her shock and fury, seething at him. "I told you I was going to hurt you _really_, _really_ _bad_, gorgeous. Now hold still – don't worry, you'll have your turn."

She let him push her, forcing her to lay flat on her back and she smoked the cigarette he gave her, clenching her jaw every time he burned her. This was _not _part of her plans for tonight – not at all.

After tending to each others wounds – in a very, _very_ unorthodox fashion – and half a bottle of whiskey between them, she succumbed to the Joker's demands. She changed into the t shirt he had placed on the bed, happy to get out of her soaking wet, itchy dress and ignoring the way his eyes raked over her as she peeled the dress off. Once she settled herself on the bed, laying on top of the sheets and duvet, he flopped down beside her on the destroyed bed, hands behind his head and staring up at the black ceiling of his bedroom. Considering the state of the room and their battered, bloody, and bruised bodies – he was eerily calm and quiet. She gathered up her courage and took a deep breath before she sang him one of her favorite songs, 'Me and The Devil' by SoapSkin.

"_Early this morning when you knocked upon my door,_

_Early this morning when you knocked upon my door,_

_And I said 'Hello Satan, I believe it is time to go', _

_Me and the Devil walkin' side by side,_

_Me and the Devil walkin' side by side,_

_And I'm gonna see my man until I get satisfied,_

_See, I don't see why that he would dog me around,_

_Said I don't see why people dog me around,_

_It must be that old, evil spirit so deep down in the ground._

_You may bury my body down by the highway side,_

_You may bury my body down by the highway side,_

_So my old, evil spirit can get a Greyhound bus and ride,_

_So my old, evil spirit can get a Greyhound bus and ride."_

She finished the song quietly, noticing that his eyes were closed and he was breathing deeply, twitching a little as he slept deeply. She carefully got up, making sure not to make any noise or move too fast, and scrawled a note for him that she left on the pillow her head had previously rested on. Once she was done, she grabbed her damp shoes and dress, shrugged into the black and purple silk robe that Johnny had brought earlier, and slipped into one of the many pairs of slippers she found in his closet. Once she was ready, she quietly crept to the window, peeling back the curtain and peering down at the pavement below. She grinned – this would be a piece of cake.

She held her breath, peeking once more at the Joker to make sure he was truly asleep, and then slowly slid open the window, wasting no time in climbing out of it and using the thick ivy that covered the back of the building and the gutter to carefully make her way down to the parking lot. She had parked her car a short distance down the road, hidden in the trees, unlocked with her keys and phone in the glove compartment. She crept very quietly along the treeline, making sure she wouldn't be noticed by the Joker's henchmen, and once she was officially off the grounds she broke into a desperate run, thundering her way down the dirt road to her car, speeding off like the Devil himself was on her heels once she got in her car.

* * *

Johnny's blood ran cold the next morning when a loud, inhuman, feral, and guttural sound broke the silence in the gigantic building, coming directly from the Joker's bedroom. He cursed his own existence as his phone vibrated, a text from the Joker displayed on the screen.

_'Bring me the tapes.'_

He sighed, quickly retrieving the surveillance tapes from the club office before making his way to the second floor storage room that held the secret entrance to the Joker's private quarters. His hands shook violently as he peeled the breaker face off and dialed the code, praying that the Joker wasn't feeling trigger happy at the moment. As he stepped into the apartment, he noticed that the entire place was completely turned upside down and looked as if a hurricane had ravaged it – it looked even worse than last night. Johnny quickly averted his eyes and made his way over to the Joker's private office, walking through the open door and avoiding eye contact with the raging clown as he handed him the DVDs.

He watched the screen as the Joker fast-forwarded to 9:00 PM, knowing exactly who he was looking for. He watched as the woman from the night before emerged from the tree line surrounding the property, sauntering right up to the camera around the corner of the building and pulling what looked like a roll of electrical tape from her bra. She grinned, waving at the camera before she slowly began to apply the tape, covering the lens completely and successfully cutting off the footage from the rest of the night. The Joker snarled, going through the other DVDs from the other cameras and threw his chair across the room, smashing it to pieces when it collided with the wall, as he saw the same thing in every single one – Raven taping all of the camera lenses and cutting off all visuals.

Johnny's eyes flicked to the desk top and saw a note there, scrawled in feminine looking handwriting. He took a moment to peer at it, quickly reading the message on it.

_"Consider last night a freebie, clown. You will not see me again._

_I suggest over-the-counter sleeping aids and chamomile tea to help with your insomnia."_

The note was signed with a smiley face and an _'xoxo'._

"FIND HER!" The Joker shouted at Johnny, his eyes back to that frightening, bone-chilling black color from the night before, and Johnny simply nodded.

He quickly made his way back out of the apartment, flinching at every single _**crash, bang, **_and _**smash **_that echoed in the building as the Joker destroyed every single thing remaining in his apartment, completely lost to his rage. Once Johnny reached the first floor and rounded the corner towards the main entrance, he was met with all of the Joker's remaining henchmen, all looking frightened and antsy.

"Find the woman," he said. "Look outside the city limits, look in places she usually wouldn't go, look everywhere possible – go to surrounding cities and towns if necessary. By any and all means, find her. Don't come back until you do."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything.**

**Author's Note:** If I haven't made it clear already, this story is full of triggers, domestic violence, abuse, violence, gore, foul language, smut, inappropriate humor, etc. This is not your average story – it is not for the light-hearted.

* * *

It had been 6 weeks since Raven had slipped out of the window of Joker's bedroom and deserted him as he slept. She had established herself in that time, becoming a hit-woman. She planted burner phones programmed with a phone number to her own in shelters for women who were victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and the influx of calls she received made her blood boil. Sure, she knew that Gotham City was full of criminals and awful things happened there every day, but it seemed like the Batman had truly lost control of the city. She had received no less than 50 calls this week alone and had contracted Deadshot, an old friend of hers, to help her with the workload. Most of her clients couldn't afford to pay her, since they were living in shelters and on the run, but for the clients that _did _pay her – well, let's just say they thoroughly enjoyed clearing out their husbands' savings accounts.

She had the women meet her late at night around 3 AM when most of the city was asleep, aside from the other criminals and the police, of course. She'd send them to different places – park and rides, bus stations, 24 hour diners, train stations, parking garages, etc. She was always careful to wear a disguise and park her rather obvious and loud car – her '87 Grand National – a few blocks away from wherever she met these women. She always showed up ten minutes before the time she set with her clients, hiding in the shadows and making sure there were no witnesses or threats in the area. Sure, some might say she was a hero – a vigilante protecting the women and children of Gotham by wiping evil men from existence, but she had pinged on the Batman's radar a time or two and was luckily always gone before he showed up.

She had taken up residence in an abandoned warehouse along the water on the outside of the city, careful to rig the doors and windows with tripwires and a ridiculously advanced security system that she controlled with her thumbprint, both on the touch pad on the wall and on her personal phone. She had furnished the place with only a queen sized tempurpedic mattress, a brand new futon that also sported a tempurpedic mattress, a small desk and office chair, an 8'x12' rug, her gun safe, and a small vanity with a stool. Of course the warehouse had other necessities – she had fixed it up nicely with some help from her old friends and together they had restored the bathroom, complete with a shower, and reinforced the walls of the warehouse, replacing all the windows with weather-proof, sealed ones. They had also replaced the door with a brand new metal one. She was careful to choose a warehouse that wasn't easily found or stumbled upon and was hidden among overgrown grass, trees, and surrounded by devil's snare. The warehouse remained dilapidated on the outside, weathered and faded looking, and no one on the docks would be any the wiser.

She drummed her painted black nails along her desk as she waited, glancing at her personal phone to check the time. 8:51. Deadshot would be there in another 9 minutes or less to help her on this upcoming job – the target was a pretty nasty, well-known crime boss in the area and never went anywhere without body guards, all sporting Teflon vests and Uzis. She knew he'd be at one of his favorite Italian restaurants tonight, stuffing his fat face with his body guards and boasting about his money, his cars, his mansion, and his accomplishments. His wife had come to her, battered and bloody, crying and begging for her help. Raven had actually refused the woman's money – offering her services for free. She had called up one of the many women she worked with that ran a shelter two cities away and told her to expect the battered woman's arrival, along with her three children and their dog. The woman happily agreed to create new identities, including ID's, for the entire family and Raven knew they'd be safe there.

She smiled when she noticed her two Cane Corsos, Karma and Hades, rush to the door with their stubby tails wagging wildly. She chuckled, making her way over to the door and nudging the two large dogs out of the way as Deadshot entered, making sure to press her thumb to the touch pad next to the door so the alarm didn't sound. "Right on time!" She smiled at him, moving out of the way as he made his way inside and settled down on the futon for a drink, as was their usual before a job. She filled two glasses with ice and two fingers of bourbon, clinking her glass against his before sipping at her drink. Karma and Hades had jumped up on the futon, wiggling excitedly and begging for Deadshot's attention. He rolled his eyes and groaned, as usual, before succumbing to their demands and scratching their ears and bellies. "You can quit pretending you don't love them any day now," Raven teased, earning a mock-glare from her friend.

"And _you _can quit pretending the Joker isn't destroying the entire city on a warpath because of you."

"What he does is not my problem, nor is it my fault. He's a grown man, he knows right from wrong. I can't be blamed nor take responsibility for the actions of someone else."

"You can give in to his demands so he stops killing citizens."

"True, but if I do that, then he wins – and you know me, I don't like to submit, and I'm a sore loser."

"You do realize that with this little _business _you're running, you're bound to cross paths with him sooner or later?"

"Doubtful. I've avoided him and thrown him off this long, I can keep it up forever."

"Mark my words, Raven – sooner or later, he's going to force you to come to him, one way or another. He won't stop until he gets what he wants, and he's already burned down a good portion of the city in his search for you. _Batman _hasn't even been able to subdue him."

Raven shrugged, downing the rest of her bourbon before standing and crossing the room to her large gun safe, pressing her thumb against the pad and waiting patiently for it to open. She pulled out her two Sig P226's, complete with night sights and 20 round magazines. She loaded up both magazines carefully, sliding them into place before slipping the guns into the shoulder holster she wore. She tucked four more magazines, all carefully loaded, into the tactical belt she wore around her waist and grinned up at Deadshot. "Time to clock in," she joked, shooting Deadshot a wink. "You two be good," she cooed, kissing both dogs on their heads and petting them before turning off the lights and resetting the alarm. She walked with Deadshot through the maze of abandoned warehouses, both of them making no noise as they went, until they finally reached her Grand National that was hidden under a car cover behind a rather creepy looking storage container. They worked together to pull the cover off and slipped into the sleek black car, Raven grinning as the engine roared to life.

She plugged her phone into the new CD deck she had installed in the car and Deadshot grinned as one of their favorite songs began blaring from the system in the car. She sped towards Gotham, their singing barely audible over the hissing and rattling of the turbo under the hood.

"_Is this the real life?_

_Is this just fantasy?_

_Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality._

_Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see..._

_I'm just a poor boy, _

_I need no sympathy,_

_Because I'm easy come, easy go,_

_little high, little low,_

_Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me,_

_To me._

_Mama, just killed a man,_

_Put a gun against his head, _

_Pulled my trigger, now he's dead._

_Mama, life had just begun,_

_But now I've gone and thrown it all away._

_Mamaaaaaa, oooohhhh..._

_Didn't mean to make you cry,_

_If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,_

_Carry on, carry on..._

_'Cause nothing really matters._

_Too late,_

_My time has come,_

_Sent shivers down my spine,_

_Body's aching all the time,_

_Goodbye everybody, I've got to go,_

_Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth..._

_Mamaaaaaa, ooooohhh..._

_I don't wanna die,_

_Sometimes wish I'd never been born at all." _

Their singing stopped and she turned off the car stereo as she pulled the car into a shopping plaza down the road from the Italian restaurant, swinging the car around back and parking it out of sight. They made sure they had everything they needed, turning their phones on silent and quietly exiting the car. They made no noise as they shut their car doors, scanning the area for any stragglers before slinking along the shadows of the parking lot and slowly making their way down the street. They both wore black petticoat jackets and fedora hats, with Raven's hair tied up and tucked underneath hers. She had forgone her makeup and wore contacts instead of her glasses to avoid anyone recognizing her. Under her petticoat she wore tight black yoga pants that hugged her legs instead of flaring out, a long olive green v-neck t shirt that covered her ass, and a pair of black slip-on running shoes. She always dressed comfortably on her jobs, and always wore a pair of secure running shoes with good grips on the soles. She needed to be able to move fluidly and easily and honestly, it was much more comfortably wearing her tactical belt over yoga pants and leggings than it was over tight jeans.

They reached an apartment building across the street from the restaurant their target sat in, a little off to the left, and cut down the alley beside it. She pulled her cashmere-lined black gloves out of her pockets and slipped them on before pulling down the fire escape, grinning wickedly at Deadshot. "Lets go," she whispered excitedly, carefully and quietly making her way up the fire escape, her movements precise and calculated like those of a panther. After weeks of doing this and training with Deadshot, she was turning into a female Houdini – able to appear and disappear in an instant with no issue and with no one any the wiser. Deadshot followed her up, hot on her trail as they made their way to the roof, wearing his own gloves. They wore gloves without grips on them – Raven had learned the hard way on a solo job that it's much easier to slide down gutters, railings, and fire escapes without rubber grips stopping and slowing her momentum.

They crawled along the roof of the building, laying flat on their bellies at the ledge that faced the restaurant. From where they were positioned, they could easily see into the giant window of the restaurant and weren't easily seen over the ledge as they lay behind it. It was perfect.

"Got you, motherfucker," Deadshot whispered with a smirk, his eyepiece on as he scoped out their target. Raven grinned, peeking over the ledge, her fear of heights having been destroyed after her third solo job when she had no other choice but to take position on a rooftop 17 stories up from her target.

She eyed the fat, balding, suit-clad crime boss and his three bodyguards, all looking like typical Guido douchebags with their gaudy jewelry, sunglasses, and unbuttoned shirts showing off their chest hair and lack of pecks. She chuckled, shaking her head. "It's like they clone themselves," she mused, causing Deadshot to chuckle as well. "They all look the same."

They waited patiently, making quiet small talk as they waited for the boss and his body guards to settle down at their large table and get comfortable, being polite enough to allow them to at least enjoy a glass of wine and their salads before they'd terminate them. The hair on the back of Raven's neck stood up, goosebumps prickled her flesh and she shuddered. She carefully slipped her jacket off, never once rising above the ledge and risking exposure, as she felt her temperature spike and began to sweat.

"What's goin' on with you?" Deadshot whispered, perplexed by her obvious distress. "I don't know," she whispered back honestly, chewing at her bottom lip. She had this feeling once before – during the breakout at Arkham when the Joker crept up on her.

"Impossible," she hissed, her eyes locking on the very man she'd been hiding from and avoiding the past 6 weeks as he sauntered into the restaurant, flanked by Johnny Frost and 4 other henchmen she recognized from her brief time with him. "You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me," she seethed, watching as the Joker and his men sat down with her target, blocking hers and Deadshot's view.

"This is the part where I say 'I told you so'," Deadshot muttered, lifting his gun just enough for the barrel to rest on the ledge. "You gotta make a decision – are you gonna leave and try again another night, or are you going to risk taking the Joker out along with this piece of shit?"

She sighed, rubbing at her eyes in her irritation and shook her head. "I'm not spending any more time on this asshole," she decided. "I trailed him this entire week and it was tedious. I'm not doing it again. It is what it is – whoever is in the way needs to go. I want to get this done and go the fuck home."

Deadshot nodded, a small smile on his lips as he prepared – his sights lined up with a sliver of the target's head that he could make out over the Joker's shoulder. "Let's get it," he said, and Raven nodded, adjusting herself and peering through her night sights, perfectly aimed and poised to deliver a fatal head-shot to the target's right-hand man.

"Three... two..."

Deadshot didn't get to 'one' as they both took their shots. Their main target, Tony Tomino, dropped to the ground – dead. Deadshot _never_ missed. Raven flinched as she watched the Joker snap to his feet through her night sights, his guns already brandished and his pale blue eyes swiveling around the restaurant. His henchmen were up and about, along with the remaining 3 men of Tony's crew, guns drawn and trying to locate the source of the shots. She swallowed down her guilt, lining up her next shot and taking it without hesitation – killing another one of Tony's bodyguards.

"Make a decision," Deadshot urged, taking his third shot and killing the last of the target's bodyguards. "We can make a break for it right now, or we can take out your little friend and all his homies."

She swallowed hard, keeping her eyes locked on the Joker as he began laughing and firing off rounds in random directions, killing everyone else in the restaurant aside from his own men. She blinked and shook her head, wrestling with herself. She couldn't understand why she was so hesitant to kill him, especially after her last little _visit _with the Clown Prince of Crime, and she had no time to try and figure it out. She looked at Deadshot and shook her head. "Leave them," she said, lining her sights up with the Joker and firing off a shot that grazed his neck – payback for the 'J' he had carved into her collarbone and permanently scarred her with after burning her with a cigarette to 'cauterize' the wound. She was forever branded if the raised, bright purple scar was anything to go by, and she wasn't too happy about it.

The Joker whipped around in the direction her bullet had come from but couldn't see anything – Raven and Deadshot had already slid down the fire escape and taken off at a dead run behind the buildings towards the parking lot they had left the GN in. She felt like her lungs would collapse as she panted, her feet carrying her faster than she could handle, and she nearly passed out as they reached the car. She fumbled with the key, her hand shaking violently, finally sticking it inside the door and quickly unlocking the car. Their doors were barely closed as she took off, the turbo hissing as she sped through the streets and blew intersections, drifting around sharp corners and getting past the city limit as fast as she possibly could.

Once the panic left her system, she burst out in wicked laughter, Deadshot cackling along with her. "Wooooo!" he shouted, grabbing the handle over his window as Raven's dangerous driving continued. "That was some _shit!"_

"You think he knew it was me?" She asked him, lowering the radio so she could hear him.

Deadshot shook his head. "Nah, he's got too many enemies. He's been tearing this city apart looking for you to no avail, the last person he'd suspect is you. He probably thinks you wouldn't do something so bold – coming into Gotham and firing a warning shot at him from a rooftop."

"I have to disagree, bud. I think that's _exactly _what he'll think. You don't give him enough credit – sure, he's insane, but he's also a fucking _genius." _

"If that's the case, you don't need me to tell you that you need to be on your toes. If you knock long enough, the Devil will eventually answer the door."

* * *

A few days later, the Joker sat at the head of the large oak table in his office tucked behind the VIP section of his club, the remaining 9 seats occupied by some of his business associates – crime bosses, arms dealers, contract killers and his most trusted henchman Johnny. He had called a meeting with the men to try and get information on who had killed Tony Tomino, the fat, boisterous crime boss, and who ordered the hit. No one knew anything, and the Joker felt his control slipping as his rage festered. The bullet that had grazed his neck burned his skin when it made contact, leaving a permanent thumb-sized scar in its wake. He knew it was a warning shot – it wasn't a coincidence that he and his men got out alive and the others didn't.

"Johnny, what's the word on the street?" the Joker asked, pinning Johnny with his gaze.

Johnny folded his hands on the table top, clearing his throat before he spoke. "Word has it there's a female contract killer coming up the ranks – apparently she's been laying waste to about 20 or so men a week. No one knows if she's working alone or not, but they do know she's only killing men suspected of rape, domestic violence, and other crimes against women."

"I see," Joker muttered, leaning back in his seat and gripping his cane tightly in his left hand. His blood red button up shirt was mostly unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his bow tie loosely hung around his neck, and his belt was fastened tightly around his pants to hold them up – he hadn't been sleeping again, and hadn't been eating much at all the past 6 or so weeks. He had lost weight, his hair was always disheveled now, his lipstick was constantly smeared all over his face, and he had taken to drawing a thick, black smile around his mouth, mocking his own misery.

Ever since Raven snuck out of his window and escaped him, he'd been on the warpath – terrorizing the streets and citizens of Gotham on a killing spree trying to get her attention. He had robbed 13 banks, taken hostages – some he killed, some he didn't, shot up shopping plazas, blown up the mall, and had even locked up with the Batman several times, nearly killing the Dark Knight in his psychosis. But Raven never showed up, and he still couldn't find her. They searched all of Gotham, the city limits, and even neighboring towns and cities, and she still remained elusive – she was, by all means, a ghost.

"Yeah, I've heard about her. Got a guy that works for me whose sister was being smacked around by her husband – guy was strangled to death in his car. They found him a few days later – the car was found in a ditch just outside the city, along a deserted highway. They say it was done with a garrote." Double-Tap, a pretty well known and commonly hired contract killer, was smirking as he spoke. "Girl's got style."

The Joker's expression hardened as the words reminded him of something he said to Raven the night he met her.

"_I like your style, toots."_

"_My ex boyfriend sure didn't." _

His eyes narrowed, a realization hitting him. He regarded Johnny again, grinning wickedly at him. "Johnny boy, did you happen to hear anything about _how _contact is made with this _femme fatale?_"

"Nothing concrete, only theories."

"Burner phones," Double-Tap supplied. "That's what my guy told me. His sister found a burner phone at a shelter with a number programmed into it – she called it, and that's all she wrote."

The Joker threw his head back, his laughter echoing in the room and causing everyone at the table to stiffen in their seats. He snapped his head back down, narrowing his eyes at Johnny and grinning. "Be a good sport and fetch me one of those phones... _now."_

Johnny didn't hesitate for a second, standing up immediately and making his way out of the office.

The Joker dismissed everyone that remained with a flick of his wrist, letting his head loll back for a moment. The men filed out of the room quickly, more than happy to put distance between themselves and the unpredictable, trigger-happy, sadistic Clown Prince of Crime.

Once the office was empty, the Joker made his way over to his desk and pulled Raven's file from the drawer, opening it and grinning down at her photo. Another memory flashed through his mind, this one from the night of the breakout when he had approached her in the corridor.

"_I've told you a hundred times, Joker – I kill men, I don't play with them."_

He leaned against the desk, using his finger to trace a big, wide grin over Raven's mouth. "See you soon, my little bird," he crooned, feeling adrenaline surge through his veins at the thought of being close to her again. "We're gonna have so much _fun_."

The Joker waited in the shadows of the parking garage that Raven had designated for the meeting, giddy and antsy at the thought of seeing her again. He had executed his plan flawlessly. Johnny procured a phone for him, and the Joker had used one of his henchmen's sisters to make the call to the woman he believed – without a doubt – was Raven to set up a meeting. The meeting was set for Saturday morning at 3 AM, on the third floor of the parking garage he currently stood in. He struggled to maintain his composure for the two and a half days leading up to the meeting, too excited and delirious to focus on anything else. He remained quiet, not wanting to give up his hiding spot in case she was nearby, and fought the compulsion to laugh.

He checked his watch and realized it was 3:21, and scowled when he still didn't see any sign of his precious songbird. He remained quiet, forcing himself to be patient, reasoning that she might've hit a snag on the way. He had come alone, no henchmen, and parked his purple Lamborghini a few streets away to hide it. He had stuck to the shadows and alleyways as he made his way to the parking garage, keeping an eye out for any passersby or signs of Raven, and was glad to see the streets completely empty for what must've been the first time in his criminal career.

The parking garage was eerily quiet and empty, even for this time of night, and he began to lose his patience. He checked his watch again – 3:46 AM. He snarled, stalking out of his hiding place in the shadows and began making his way back to his purple lambo, finally accepting the fact that she wasn't coming. "She wants to play," he laughed, rage surging through his veins the farther he walked. "Oh, we can play."

His eyes narrowed as he approached his car, noticing a note tucked under the windshield wiper. He snatched it up, almost ripping it, and screamed in rage when he read the message. He pulled his gun from his holster and emptied the clip into the surrounding buildings and businesses before he got in the car and took off, tearing through the streets of Gotham.

The crumpled note lay on the passenger seat, the message written in her signature burgundy red lipstick.

"_Nice try, clown._

_As usual, I'm ten steps ahead of you._

_:) xoxo_

_P.S. That's a nasty looking scar on your neck."_

He fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Johnny, seething as he drifted around a corner, almost crashing the car in his fit of rage.

"Plan B, Johnny. Go now."

With that, he hung up and cackled maniacally, taking off like a bat out of hell towards his club. If this was how she wanted to play, he'd have to up the ante. Plan B was something he never wanted to do – he knew that it would be something that would drive her away from him, something she'd never forgive him for, but he had endured her teasing and her games for much too long. She gave him no other choice at this point.

He stalked through the club when he returned, heading straight for the office at the back of the VIP. He was delighted to see Johnny was already there with Plan B bound and gagged to the desk chair. Raven's favorite cousin, Tommy, was glaring fiercely at the Joker and the Joker laughed, circling the tall, athletically built man in the chair. "It's a shame we have to meet under these circumstances, Tommy, but your cousin has given me no other choice," his tone was calm and friendly. He pat Tommy's shoulder in a friendly manner before holding his hand out to Johnny, grinning when Johnny placed Tommy's phone in his hand.

"Let's see here..." he muttered, scrolling through the contacts until he found Raven's name. "Ah, there she is!" He giggled gleefully, pressing on her contact and initiating a Face Time call. He grinned, making sure to angle the phone so that Tommy, Johnny, and himself were all in the picture when she answered.

"Tommy? What are you doing up so late?" Her voice was a little groggy, and it sounded as though she had been woken up by the Face Time call. The Joker saw that she wasn't paying any attention to the screen, watching as she fumbled and finally clicked on the lamp on her bedside table. He waited for her to get a better grip on her phone before he laughed, immediately catching her attention.

"Songbird!" he chirped, making a show of ruffling Tommy's hair. "Look what the cat dragged in! Care to come over and play with us?'

He scowled when she simply laughed, shaking her head. "I appreciate the invite, but I think I'd rather stay home. I'm tired."

Tommy thrashed in his seat, his voice muffled by the gag in his mouth as he protested, glaring at his cousin.

She smiled reassuringly at him and chuckled. "Don't worry, Tommy. He won't hurt you – he _definitely _won't kill you either. You see, the Joker knows that if he lays a single finger on you, I'll never forgive him. He wouldn't risk losing me forever – would you, Joker?"

The Joker snarled at her through the screen, shoving the phone into Johnny's hands and ordering him to put the camera on him and Tommy. "Oh, I'll kill him," he threatened, pulling out his gun and putting it to Tommy's head. Tommy was making noise again, his words indecipherable, but the panicked look in his eyes said it all. The Joker cocked back the hammer on the gun, carefully curling his finger around the trigger and making direct eye contact with Raven through the screen.

"You will come here right now, or I will paint the walls with Tommy's brains. Your choice," he shouted, his tone laced with hysteria.

She gave him a bored look and even yawned as she watched him, lazily leaning back in her bed. "You won't," she said confidently, looking right back at him. "Now be a good boy and bring Tommy home. I'm tired, and you're annoying me."

She was about to end the call when a gunshot rang out and she flinched, her heart lodging itself in her throat. "Fuck!" she hissed, looking back into the screen. She saw Tommy, still bound and gagged but otherwise fine, and then met the black eyes of the Joker. "The next one goes in his head!" he shouted, snatching the phone from Johnny and panning the camera to the hole he just put in the wall to the side of Tommy. "Stop fucking with me and get over here. Bring clothes and all the shit you'll need – you're not leaving this time."

"Joker, I am not playing fucking house with you. I'll make you a deal – I will come over there and talk to you, but Johnny boy over there needs to take Tommy home first. I'm not coming until I get picture proof that Tommy's back home, safe and sound, and unharmed."

"I need collateral, little bird," he hissed. "You can't be trusted."

"That's fair," she agreed, mulling it over in her mind. "What do you want?"

"I want _you_," he replied, his voice gruff and low.

"Now I see why they call you the Joker – you're _hilarious."_ She smirked at him, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Don't make me shoot you for real this time."

"Now that you mention it, I'm still a little vexed about that. I think I'll keep Tommy here until you show up – besides, I've been waiting for a chance to get to know your family." The Joker ended the Face Time session with that and Raven groaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Fucker," she muttered, dialing Deadshot's number. She bit her lip, praying he wouldn't rip her head off for calling him around 5 AM, especially for something like this.

"You better not be asking me for a god damn favor," he grumbled, and she laughed.

"What if I pay you?" she offered, examining her nails.

"What's the plan, kid?"

She grinned, hanging up the call once she was done explaining everything to him, and slipped back into her black yoga pants, black running shoes,a gray tank top and covered it all up with a black, baggy hoodie. She slipped her shoulder holster on along with her tactical belt and grabbed her trusty crowbar for good measure – as good a shot as she was, she really did like to let off some steam here and there in the form of good ol' fashioned brutality. She pulled her garrote from her gun safe and carefully rolled it up, slipping it into an empty pouch on her belt. With that, she kissed the dogs goodbye and was on her way to pick up Deadshot. The Joker was fighting dirty, there was no reason why she couldn't either.

* * *

She stopped the car about a foot away from the main doors of the building and grinned at Johnny who was waiting for her outside. She ignored the skeptical look he was giving Deadshot and grabbed her crowbar from the backseat before slamming her car door shut, breezing past Johnny like she owned the place with a heavily armed Deadshot in tow. Johnny sighed and followed after them, quickly making his way to Raven's side and showing her and Deadshot to the Joker's club office.

As soon as Raven's eyes landed on her cousin, she stormed over to him and carefully removed the gag from his mouth, ignoring the Joker's malicious glare as she proceeded to untie him. Tommy just gaped at her even as he towered over her, shocked at her appearance – both because it had changed since he'd last seen her and because she was never, ever supposed to be released from Arkham. "How...?" He struggled to form words as he watched his little cousin level the Joker with a nasty glare of her own and obeyed her when she motioned for him to leave the room. Deadshot escorted Tommy from the room, sitting down with him in a booth in the VIP section of the club and filled the confused, bewildered man in on the Arkham breakout. He was careful to leave out the whole 'contract killer' aspect of her new life, not sure how much Raven wanted her cousin to know.

"You shoot me in the neck, you set me up, and then you release my hostage," the Joker sighed, shaking his head at her. "Sit down," he commanded, pulling out a chair for her.

She rolled her eyes at him and huffed, lowering herself into the seat as he took his own at the head of the table. "To be fair – I didn't shoot you in the neck. I _grazed _you_. _What do you want, clown?" she drawled, drumming her fingers on the table.

He leaned forward, his face mere inches from hers and gave her an incredulous look. "It's been six weeks since you snuck out my window – have you _not _watched the news? I've been tearing apart Gotham searching for you."

She looked bored, refusing to meet his eyes. "I don't watch TV."

He growled at her, gripping her chin in his hand and forcing her to meet his eyes. She chuckled, amused at his obvious distress and aggravation. "_You." _He shook his head at her, moving his hand to wrap it around the back of her neck. "You're pissing me off again, birdie."

"_I'm_ pissing _you_ off?" She glared at him, her tone dripping with venom. "Are you fucking serious? You forced me to stay here with you the night I came to give back your gun, nearly drowned me _twice_, provoked me into a blind rage which you then _punished _me for, you fucking _branded me -"_ She tugged at the neckline of her hoodie, yanking it down far enough to reveal the tennis ball sized jagged 'J' scarred into her flesh, her fury escalating when he smiled fondly at it, "you've killed a shitload of innocent people to try and force me to come to you, you tried to set me up with one of my own burner phones, you kidnapped my cousin, you threatened my family, and _you're _pissed?" she threw up her hand when he began to retort, effectively silencing him.

"I'm not fucking finished! I'm going to say this once, and only once – leave me, my friends and my family the fuck alone, or _God help me, _I will kill you right here and now."

He threw his head back and laughed, releasing her neck and clapping theatrically. Once his laughter died down, he grabbed her chair and forcefully yanked it closer to him, their noses almost touching as he brought his face close to hers. His breathing became ragged, his heart pounding and electricity coursing through him as he stared into her green eyes, so close to her that his lips almost touched hers as he spoke. "That 'branding' you're so angry about wasn't a punishment – it was a reward." He made a point of tracing it with his finger, grinning at her.

"Let's run down the list of things _you've _done_. _I'll start with Arkham! I had my guys break you out and you reciprocated by throwing me to the wolves and taking off with _my _gun. Then you show up here after a week and give me back _my _gun that you had planted here sometime during your disappearance and wouldn't tell me how you breached my security. You refused to stay here with me, you crawled out of my window, abandoning me while I slept, and you disappeared on me for six weeks. You refused to come back to me no matter what I did, you ruined my business meeting and fucking took a shot at me, _you _set _me _up and stood me up, and you're wondering why I kidnapped your cousin and went to extreme measures to get you here in front of me?"

She blinked, cocking her head to the side as she regarded him. He misinterpreted the action – an easy mistake to make as close as they were to each other – and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. She pushed him away from her, scowling as she wiped her mouth and glared at him. "Let's get this straight once and for all, _'Mister J' – _I'm not yours, I never will be, and I don't owe you shit. We were cell neighbors in Arkham, that's it. Go pester Doctor Quinzel – she's obsessed with you! You don't have to blow up a fucking mall to try and get _her _attention."

Raven's belligerent rejection cut through the Joker like a hot knife and he slammed his fists down on the table, becoming even angrier when she didn't even flinch. "I don't _want _the Doctor!" he shouted, standing so abruptly that he knocked his chair over. He began pacing in the office, smoothing his hair back and muttering to himself. She quirked an eyebrow at him, amused as he unraveled in front of her.

"And I don't want_ you_," she declared, leaning back in her seat. His head snapped in her direction and she noticed his eyes had gone black – the telltale sign that he had lost all control. She didn't fear him – after all, she was prepared this time. She gripped her crowbar tightly in her right hand underneath the table, prepared to rip his face off with it if he came at her.

He erupted into a fit of hysterical laughter as he paced the office like a caged animal, his madness slowly taking control of him. "It's funny, you see?" he shouted. "It's funny, because I don't want the woman that would submit to me and die for me! I want the woman who would rather kill me than have a conversation with me."

She shook her head and stood, making her way to the office door when he snatched her wrist in his hand and yanked her into his chest. "It's a _bad _joke_," _he whispered in her ear, holding her against him in a vice-like grip. She noticed Deadshot moving to stand and shook her head at him, shooting her panicked cousin a reassuring smile. She could only imagine how terrified and confused he must be.

She motioned with her hand for Johnny to close the office door and he did, slipping out of the room to give her and the Joker privacy. She was still crushed against his chest as he stood still as a statue, seething.

"You can't force me to reciprocate... whatever the fuck _this_ is," she mumbled, motioning between them with her hand to make her point. "I don't even understand why you're fixated on me."

She was careful to keep her tone calm and neutral, knowing he was touchy when he lost control and he'd probably shoot her in a heartbeat if she said or did the wrong thing. "Why don't you explain it to me?" she prodded, slowly moving them back towards the table in hopes that he'd sit down and _calm down. _He refused to let go of her, though he loosened his grip a little, and she sighed. "Let's start with this 'songbird' thing. What's the deal with that?" She prodded him, not wanting to spend her entire day here but also trying to avoid setting him off.

"I told you," he snarled in her ear, breathing in the scent of her perfume and her shampoo. "I can't fall asleep at night unless you sing to me."

"You did," she reasoned, staying as still as possible. His head was still lowered and she felt his breath tickling her neck, shivering a little at the sensation. "Now, tell me why you're so fixated on me."

"Beeecaaaauuseeeee," he emphasized, "you're just like me."

"Go on," she prodded, utterly perplexed by the statement. Just like him? Maybe as far as their similar taste in lipstick went.

He let go of her, backing up a little so he could lean down and look into her eyes. "You used to be _good_ – you used to be_ innocent. _Then your family, all those men, and life itself beat you down until they broke you, broke your spirit, destroyed your soul and your sanity." He tapped her nose with his finger and she was relieved to see that his eyes were slowly going back to their usual blue. "But you embrace it all – you embrace your flaws, your brokenness, your insanity – all of your damage and your trauma. You're comfortable in your own skin. Chaos is comfortable for you, and normalcy terrifies and bores you. You are independent, strong, unapologetic and unforgiving, and you don't need anyone."

He grinned at her, running his finger across the 'damaged' tattoo on his forehead. "You're damaged... like _me_."

She sighed, gently patting his cheek before retaking the seat she had occupied before. "You're right," she agreed, only slightly impressed with his observations. _'Takes one to know one' and all that._

"You barely know me, though, Joker. You can memorize my past all you want – you can read my file over and over, you can go interview the people in my life and the people from my past, you can force my darkness to take over me and watch me unravel, you can even cut me open and look inside me – but it still doesn't mean you know me."

"I know that you only sing when you're sad," he whispered crouching down in front of her. His gaze made her uncomfortable for once – she felt as though he was looking right through her, right into the same destroyed soul he had mentioned a moment ago.

She kept her cool, not letting her anxiety show in her face or her eyes and kept her voice even. "Arkham wasn't really a _nice _place to be." She watched as he put his hands on her knees, just like he had that night in his bathroom.

"I'm not going to stay here with you, I can't give you what you want... what you _need. _You're going to need to learn to sleep and function on your own. I have my own life, I have my own business to conduct, and I have responsibilities. I can't sit here and play house with you." She placed her hands on top of his and gave him an apologetic look.

He nodded, not saying a word as he stood back up. "I'm sorry," he muttered, not making eye contact with her.

"What?" she asked, incredulous. The Joker never, ever apologized for anything – surely she must've heard him wrong.

"I'm sorry." His tone was more assertive that time, and he looked at her. "For everything."

"Me too," she mumbled, making her way to the office door. She glanced at him over her shoulder before opening the door. "Take care of yourself, neighbor."

With that, she made her way out of the club with Deadshot and Tommy, itching to get back home so she could catch up on some much needed sleep. She was already absolutely done with the day and it was only 7:00 AM.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own or take credit for anything.**

**Author's Note: **My Joker isn't going to be exactly the same as Jared Leto's portrayal, but very similar. As always, this is your warning that this story is rated M for several reasons. There will be violence, gore, smut, sexual innuendos and content, inappropriate humor, drugs, and very foul language. Enjoy.

* * *

Friday night rolled around and Raven was thankful to have a night free to just hang out at home and relax. She had been staking out a new target all day long and she was exhausted and annoyed. She changed into a pair of boy shorts and a camisole tank top and sprawled out on her bed, resting her eyes for a moment before she'd have to get up and let the dogs out. Her personal cell phone chimed with a text message and she picked it up, wondering who would be texting her. She hoped her friends weren't trying to coax her into going to the bar with them, she was way too tired for that tonight. Her brows furrowed as she looked at the screen, not recognizing the phone number the text came from. She unlocked the screen, going into her text messages and shook her head as she read the not-so-anonymous message.

"_Got a surprise for ya, Songbird."_

A knock sounded at the door, and the dogs bolted over to it, sniffing at whoever was on the other side. She groaned, sitting up on her bed and putting on a pair of cotton blend shorts and her slippers before making her way across the warehouse to the door, peering through the peephole. She didn't know whether to laugh or to roll her eyes as she saw the Joker on the other side of the door, carrying a huge bouquet of dark purple peonies, a box of what looked like expensive truffles, and accompanied by a man she'd never seen before. She hushed the dogs, nudging them both out of the way and pressed her thumb to the touch pad on the wall to disarm the alarm before she opened the door. To her utter shock, Karma and Hades greeted the Joker in a very friendly manner. There was no barking, no snarling, no teeth baring, no hair raising, no lunging – nothing. The two dogs were always spot-on about people – the slightest sign of aggression from them towards a person told Raven everything she needed to know about them. It was rare that her dogs liked anyone – you had to be pretty pure of heart, soul and intention for them to befriend you.

The Joker grinned at her, handing her the flowers and the chocolates, freeing up his arms so he could pet the dogs. She nearly fainted at the sight of him leaning down, ruffling the dogs' ears and scratching their butts affectionately, cooing at them. "What the fuck is happening? Am I in the Twilight Zone?" she whispered, carefully placing the flowers and chocolates down on her desk. Once her hands were free, she made her way to the heavily tattooed man that the Joker had shown up with and introduced herself. Apparently, his name was Joe and he was the Joker's personal tattoo artist.

She offered Joe a drink and he declined, awkwardly seating himself on the futon, wary of the two large dogs that the Joker was still doting on. Joker finally straightened up and Raven noticed he was completely shirtless under his shiny purple jacket. He shot her a wink, catching her staring, and took the jacket off, making his way over to her bed to lay it down neatly. "You're probably wondering why I'm here," he declared, walking around and taking in her little warehouse abode.

"Yeah... that, and how you found me." She furrowed her brows at him, ignoring Joe and her dogs for the moment as she watched the Joker. He laughed. "Now, now, songbird. You have your secrets and I have mine. I won't tell you how I found you – though I find it amusing you've been living on one of my properties all along." He laughed, making his way over to where she stood and subtly flexing his muscles as he caught her glancing at his abs. "As for why I'm here, well... I'm feeling a little _remorseful_," he traced the 'J' on the left side of her chest with his finger, frowning at her.

Raven shivered, trying to maintain eye contact at all costs – she had forgotten how cut and sexy he was. She knew deep down that he had come here shirtless on purpose. He wore shiny silver jogger style pants with black high top sneakers and she silently cursed him. He knew _exactly _what he was doing, the bastard.

"Joe is here to cover this up for you, if you so desire," Joker muttered, still staring at the scarred flesh. "Whatever you want – it's on me. I was hoping the flowers and chocolates might soften you up a little and keep you from shooting me, you sexy little femme fatale."

She laughed at that, relaxing and making her way over to the freezer where she kept her liquor. She poured herself a shot of Jameson and raised an eyebrow at the Joker in question. He grinned at her and she took that as a yes, pouring him a shot as well. She took hers quickly, then made two Jameson and gingers, one for herself and one for the Joker. "Well, I won't shoot you, since you come in peace." She glanced over at the flowers and the chocolates and chuckled. "As far as the tattoo... I'm not sure."

His eyebrows raised as he drank from his glass, setting it down on her desk as he regarded her. "You were pissed off about it on Saturday."

"I know," she replied, nodding. "I guess I'm used to it now."

"You'll keep it?" he growled, coming close to her.

She met his eyes – they were full of hope and she sighed, defeated. "Yeah. Makes for a good war story, ya know? If people ask me where I got it, I can tell them you and I got into a knife fight and I won – branded, but alive to tell the tale."

He burst out laughing at that, tapping her on the nose with his finger. When he calmed down, he looked over at Joe and grinned. "Well, Joe, my chest is covered – what do you say we do something with this little scar on my neck?" Joe nodded, making his way to the door to fetch his tattoo kit from the car.

"What are you planning to do with your scar?" Raven asked, peering at the scar in question and grinning at her handiwork.

"Immortalizing it, of course," he teased.

He wouldn't give her any other information regarding his plans for the scar and she shrugged it off, finishing her drink and sitting down Indian-style on the futon next to him as Joe set up his equipment and sat himself in her desk chair. "You gonna hold my hand? I'm _terrified _of needles, you know." He winked at her, draping his arm over her lap and wiggling his fingers.

"Oh, fuck off," Raven laughed despite herself and rolled her eyes at him.

"Your loss, toots," he teased, groaning a little as Joe set to work on his neck. Joker had told Raven she wasn't allowed to look at the tattoo before it was finished and she had agreed, distracting herself with more booze and small talk with Joker and Joe.

"You should get one," he whispered, placing his hand on her knee. "Even if it's not to cover up your... '_brand.'"_

"I will," she agreed, grinning at him. "Already figured out what I want."

"Tell me all about it, little bird," he prodded, squeezing her knee a little and earning another laugh from her.

"You'll just have to see it once it's done," she teased, winking at him.

"Oh, you're such a _tease_."

She didn't know if it was all the whiskey she'd drank on an empty stomach, the sleep deprivation, or all three, but she was enjoying the way the Joker was flirting with her. The tattoo she was going to have Joe do was definitely spurred on by her drunken whims and she knew she might be pissed about it in the morning, but for now she didn't care. She was drunk, giddy, and comfortable.

_He's really funny... and really sexy... and really shirtless... and really available... and he's sitting on my couch. _

_Oh, shit. Stop, stop, stop, stop! None of that! We can't go down that rabbit hole again, remember?_

She shook her head, trying to shake the horny, alcohol-fueled musings out of her mind as his hand slid up her leg, just slightly above her knee, to grip her thigh.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay, it's fine. Just strike up a conversation – distract yourself! _

"So..." she started, feeling awkward all of a sudden. The Joker laughed, catching the blush that was creeping into her cheeks and stroked the bare skin of her inner thigh with his thumb. "So..." he mimicked, licking his lips. If the looks she was giving him were anything to go by, she was putty in his hands for the night. The idea thrilled him, so he continued to flirt, seeing just how far he could push the envelope before she reverted back to death threats and shooting at him.

"Did ya miss me, little bird?"

"N-No...Not at all." His eyes flashed at her split-second stutter.

"Don't lie to me, doll face. Tell me the truth."

"Maybe a little. It's too quiet lately."

"Too quiet? Well, darling, you _are _living in an abandoned warehouse. The offer to move into my place is always on the table, you know."

"You're _such_ an ass! I'm drunk, not dumb. I'm still not moving in with you."

He laughed, much to Joe's chagrin. "You'd rather live in an abandoned, old warehouse than in luxury with me?" He slid his hand a little higher up her thigh, maintaining eye contact with her. "I'm not saying you have to move into my private apartment and share a bed with me, though that would be _most_ preferable. I could... _renovate._"

"Are you fuckin' high?" She asked, cupping his pale face in her hands, careful not to move his head while Joe worked. She examined his face closely, looking deep into his eyes for any signs of telltale drug abuse.

"No..." he looked confused and she squinted her eyes, peering at him even more closely.

"You're saying and doing nice things, it's not like you. Therefore, you _must_ be on drugs."

"Oh songbird, you wound me," he mocked, squeezing her thigh, "I've _always_ been nice to you."

"You're nice to me because you want to fuck me," she slurred. He laughed, tracing her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb.

"That's not the only reason," he whispered, wishing to God he wasn't currently having his neck tattooed so he could try his luck at kissing her again.

"Wait, wait, wait..." She leaned forward and sat up straight, eyeballing the Joker with a serious expression on her face. "You actually _do_ wanna fuck me?" she asked, seeming shocked by the insinuation despite her accusation a moment ago.

"Since the moment I laid eyes on you, princess," he confirmed with a grin. "

"That is _not _fair!" she whined, clearly being driven by the alcohol at this point.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm drunk, and you're extremely sexy with your stupid green hair, your creepy white skin, your fucking metal grills, and all your tattoos and muscles. You came here to seduce me and I _hate_ you."

The Joker _and _Joe burst out laughing at that, the tattooing ceasing for a moment as they both shook with their mirth.

"Oh, my little bird, you're funny when you're drunk," the Joker gasped, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her temple. As he was about to pull away, she grabbed the back of his 'stupid green hair' and caught his lips with her own, kissing him fiercely. He grinned against her mouth, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her back, teasing her mouth with his tongue and biting her bottom lip before slowly pulling away.

"Down, girl," he whispered huskily, pressing one more soft, quick kiss to her lips. "Let Joe finish up with me."

He and Joe exchanged knowing, amused looks as she busied herself with playing with her dogs and Joe laughed. "You're a lucky man, Mister J," he said.

"No, I'm not," the Joker countered. "She told me she doesn't want me about a week ago – _after_ threatening to kill me." He laughed, glancing at the woman in question as she showered her dogs with drunken affection. "This scar you're working on is _her_ work. Shot at me from a god damn rooftop after taking out half of my dinner party."

Joe's eyes bulged and his eyebrows shot up in his shock. "Jesus!"

The Joker raised his eyebrows, amused at Joe's reaction. Joe cleared his throat.

"It's just – I don't mean to pry or cross any boundaries, J – but I noticed you guys have this insane chemistry between you," he whispered.

"We were locked up in Arkham together for about a year, it's always been there." The Joker tore his eyes from Raven and grinned at Joe. "Let's finish this and get her crazy ass inked up, shall we?"

Joe laughed, turning the tattoo gun back on and quickly finishing Joker's new tattoo, neither of them aware that Raven had heard everything.

* * *

"Is that a -"

"- Raven."

"And L.B for -"

"- Little Bird, you got it." The Joker winked at her, his eyes lit up with amusement.

"... Why?"

"Why, indeed? Well," the Joker grinned at her and stayed still, letting her examine the new tattoo. He had Joe tattoo a flying raven on his neck, with the scar centered perfectly between its spread wings, and 'L.B.' tattooed in small script in the center of the scar itself. "It's a nice little reminder that someone on this godforsaken planet likes me enough _not _to kill me. I know you could have killed me that night – you had the perfect opportunity. However," he lifted her chin with his finger, looking her right in the eye, " for some reason, you chose _not_ to."

The moment was a little too romantic for him so he ruined it, as per usual, and made a corny joke.

"A good decision, really. I'm much too pretty to die."

Raven rolled her eyes at him, trying to fight off the blush threatening to stain her cheeks and refused to make eye contact, choosing to stare at the beautiful tattoo instead.

Joe was outside on a 'phone call', which really meant he was trying to give them privacy, and Raven pretended to believe the blatant lie and played dumb.

"I'm curious, little bird. Indulge me – what stopped you? You hate me, after all. You have made that _very _clear." Joker's voice was low and serious.

Her gaze snapped to his and her breath hitched – his eyes were the bluest they'd ever been and they bore into her own with an intensity she'd only ever seen a couple of times before. She felt small under his gaze, and once again she could swear he was looking right through her. The words flew out of her mouth before she even realized what she was doing.

"I don't hate you, J."

His eyebrows raised and he smirked at her. "Is that right?"

He finished his third drink, feeling a little toasty himself, and carefully set his empty glass down on the floor before he leaned over her. She simply nodded, folding her arms underneath her head.

"Interesting," he whispered, inching even closer, testing the waters. For all he knew, she'd either kiss him again or strangle him – she was extremely unpredictable, at best. That was one of the many, many things that drew him to her – she kept him on his toes, unlike the Doctor who followed him around like a lost puppy and begged for his love.

"I just act like I do," she muttered. The words had come out so quietly he thought he imagined hearing them, but he had definitely seen her lips move.

"And why is that?"

Just as she opened her mouth, Joe walked back in, looking down at his phone as he strolled towards the futon so he didn't notice the moment he had just unintentionally ruined.

Joker snapped up and cleared his throat, acting as if nothing happened, and leaned back on the futon with his arms draped over it. Raven sat up, too, keeping a distance from him as she regarded Joe. "You ready?" she asked, plastering a grin on her face. Joe looked up from his phone and nodded, replacing all of his needles and cleaning his machine before instructing her to lay down on the futon. She did as he bade, and to her annoyance, the Joker wouldn't budge, so she draped her legs over his lap. He winked at her and brought his arms down, holding her legs in place in his lap and staring down at her as Joe set to work. He noticed that Joe was tattooing over the 'J' scar on her chest and held back his frown, keeping a straight face.

"Changed your mind?" he asked, trying to hide the disappointment and hurt in his tone. She didn't seem to notice, much to his relief. He always struggled to maintain his persona around her – she had a way of stripping him of it and exposing his softer, gentler, more human side.

"You'll see," she teased, giving him a genuine smile. He smiled back at her and then leaned back, letting his head fall back against the futon and closing his eyes. He became completely lost in his thoughts as Joe worked on Raven, his mind drifting back to another memory from his time in Arkham with the feisty female – the day he realized he was more than just intrigued by her.

* * *

_Joker had just come back from a session with Doctor Quinzel, the guards roughly shoving him into his cramped cell as usual. He snapped his teeth at them, cackling as they recoiled and quickly exited his cell, locking it up. He glanced over at his little songbird's cell and narrowed his eyes when he didn't see her. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and snapped his head towards the dark corner of her cell, only able to see her sneakers poking out from the shadows. He slowly approached the bars that split their cells, trying to get a closer look, and could barely make out the silhouette of her crouched form. She made no sound, she didn't move at all – she just crouched in the corner, shrouded in darkness._

_He whistled softly, drawing her attention to him. "Little bird," he greeted her, giving her his signature grin. "Have they finally managed to clip your wings?"_

"_What?" her voice was soft, barely carrying over to him. _

"_Come to me," he beckoned, glancing around and making sure no guards or other personnel were within earshot. _

_They didn't appreciate the likes of him getting close to the pretty, petite girl with the lovely voice. Oh no, they wouldn't let a freak like him taint her – no way. He was constantly punished for interacting with his little caged birdie, but she didn't know that. They would starve him, cancel his sessions with Doctor Quinzel, hose him down in the showers, and sometimes they'd even bring him to an empty office after his sessions with Doctor Quinzel and beat the shit out of him – nothing above the neck, of course, since they didn't want to risk being reported by his doe-eyed Doctor. They were also quite vexed about him spending a few hours a day with the pretty Doctor five days a week, separated only by a small table, a straitjacket, and shackles._

_The male personnel in Arkham seemed to have a special interest in his little bird, sparked from the callous and atrocious incident her first night in Arkham when that male guard had brutalized her, cut her clothes off and redressed her in front of several other male guards. The Joker kept a mental list of every single person in Arkham, employee and inmate alike, that slighted her in any way. _

_For instance, the guard that had roughed her up and stripped her – Officer Atkins – went home the next day to find his wife and children disemboweled on the kitchen floor, chelsea grins carved into their faces. The Joker was not a nice man, nor was he a good man by any means, but there were certain things that provoked his legendary temper and that entire situation was one of them. The other officers had all received grotesque packages on their doorsteps the next day – an assortment of human eyeballs and severed fingers wrapped up in pretty little green boxes with black bows. Ever since then, only female guards dealt with his little songbird, and it amused him greatly. _

_She slowly got to her feet and made her way to him, stopping just short of the bars that stood between them. He leaned forward, locking eyes with her, a serious expression on his face. "You see Doctor Hammond, correct?" She nodded and he leaned against the bars, his face only a few inches from hers. "He's a fucking piece of work," the Joker muttered, reflecting back on his own experiences with the impatient, narcissistic prick. "Wanna tell me about it?"_

_She was quiet for awhile, leaning against the bars opposite the Joker. She was studying his pale skin, green hair, face tattoos and his intense, piercing blue eyes. He pretended not to notice, shifting his gaze to the corridor beyond their cell doors to see if anyone was watching them. Usually he would call her out and tease her about her staring for entertainment, but something had shifted in her today and he could tell a storm was raging within her. He remained still, allowing her to memorize his features without a word._

_She finally nodded again, drawing in a deep breath before she explained. Satisfied that no one was hearing or seeing their interaction, he swung his gaze back to her, listening to her intently. _

"_He's sending me for electroshock therapy in a few days. According to him, 'I'm a little too smart for his liking' and he 'doesn't appreciate my attitude'. He wants me to be complacent. I suppose it's better than being sent for a lobotomy." She mocked Doctor Hammond perfectly, causing the Joker to smirk at her._

"_I see. So they're skipping the wing clipping altogether and going straight for the break, huh?" _

_She rolled her eyes at him but he caught the hint of a smile that twitched at the corners of her mouth, pleased that she was understanding and appreciating his metaphors. _

"_Don't worry, little bird. I have a feeling it's not gonna happen." He winked at her and she smiled, causing his own lips to turn up in a wide grin. _

"_That's what I like to see, toots," he whispered. He slowly backed away from the bars and made his way to his cot. He carefully lowered himself, laying flat on his back and staring at the ceiling, counting down the minutes until his therapy session the following day. _

_The next morning, he gleefully made his way to his therapy session, making the guards escorting him incredibly uncomfortable. The Joker was usually silent and serious on his way to and from his sessions, but that morning he was grinning from ear to ear, making jokes and walking with a spring in his step. The Joker's gaze landed on Doctor Hammond as he made his way towards them in the corridor, and he slithered up to the man like a snake, fighting against his guards as they tried to pull him back. He grinned maniacally at the doctor, bringing his face uncomfortably close to his. Doctor Hammond met Joker's eyes and held up a hand to the guards, allowing Joker to talk. _

"_Good morning, Andrew." Doctor Hammond's eyes narrowed as the Joker spoke his given name, but he wouldn't let the clown shake him. "Good morning, Joker," he returned, straightening his spine, his expression hardening. The Joker's grin widened, he was amused by the man's false bravado. "Tell me, Andrew, how is your beautiful wife – Alison, right? Red hair, brown eyes, about 5'6" with a killer figure?" His high-pitched voice was laced with his usual growl, making everyone in the corridor go rigid. _

"_Excuse me?" Doctor Hammond's voice cracked, panic flooding his eyes and Joker cackled, the humorless, bone-chilling sound echoing down the corridor. _

_The Joker didn't answer him. He simply winked at the doctor, slowly backing away, his intense gaze never leaving the Doctor's as he moved. "Let's go, boys. I do hate being late." He motioned with his head down the corridor. "Chop, chop!" His guards roughly grabbed him by his arms, tucked safely in his straitjacket, and yanked him down the hall. His grin never left his face._

_As soon as he was seated at the table and the guards had retreated from the room, he softened Doctor Quinzel with his usual charm before leaning forward and lowering his voice to a whisper. She leaned over the table eagerly, bringing her face closer to his. He grinned at her and gave her a wink, licking his lips to further entice her. When her cheeks flushed and her lips parted slightly, he knew he had her right where he wanted her. "Doctor," he purred, "I need a favor." _

_Harleen Quinzel handed him her cell phone without a second's hesitation. She even dialed the number for him._

_Later that night, there was a fire at Doctor Hammond's house. He and his wife had been trapped inside and burned to death – all of the doors and windows had been nailed shut from the outside._

* * *

His eyes snapped open when Raven tapped him on the shoulder. He sat up, slightly dazed from the memory, and looked at her. She was holding a pillow over her chest, hiding whatever work she'd just gotten done from him.

"It's finished," she chirped, a bright smile stretching across her pretty little face. "Do you wanna see it?"

His chest tightened a little, remembering that he had believed she was covering up the 'J' he had carved into her. He swallowed down his trepidation and nodded, letting his gaze fall to her chest. She pulled the pillow away and his eyes widened a fraction as he caught sight of the tattoo, completely shocked at what she had done. He leaned forward, resting one hand on her right shoulder as he brought his face closer to her left, examining the tattoo. His heart fluttered with his excitement and he grinned, finally meeting her eyes.

"_That_ takes the word 'branded' to a whole new level, doll face," he purred, thrilled that his name was forever tattooed on her flesh. Joe had outlined the scar on her chest with neat lines, adding the letters "o k e r" after it in an elegant script, the letters only slightly smaller than the 'J' itself. A crown had been added over the 'J', shaded in black and gray.

Raven flushed, giving him a half-shrug. "I figured it makes us even. You got yours because I'm one of the only people _'on this godforsaken planet' _that doesn't want you dead. Well, you're the only person to ever force me into a blackout episode and _live_."

The Joker didn't bother even looking at Joe before pulling a stack of cash from his pocket and tossing it at him. Joe thanked him quietly and quickly packed up his things, saying a quick goodbye to Raven before leaving. He knew that look on Joker's face – he was going to pounce on the woman any second now.

And that is exactly what Joker did. He slid his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into him, his lips crashing into hers. She tensed at first, he assumed from shock and confusion, but she slowly relaxed into him and returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He groaned into her mouth, bringing his other hand up and fisting it in her hair, tugging her head back so he had access to her throat. He pulled away from her, lowering his head to kiss and nip at her throat, finally sinking his teeth into her pulse point and coaxing a moan from her.

He released her hair and neck, pushing her down on the futon and looming over her, his eyes boring into hers. "Do you want me?" he growled, his heart pounding so hard in his chest that he swore it was going to rip out of him.

"Joker..." she began, giving him a weary look. He shook his head at her, knowing what she was about to do.

"Don't," he snarled, a clear warning.

"You don't understand," her voice was a low whisper. He glared at her as she pulled herself up and off the futon, beginning to pace around the warehouse. "This _cannot _happen."

He stalked up to her, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall. She gasped at the contact, the wind being knocked completely out of her. He grabbed her chin with his free hand and forced her to look at him, his eyes blazing with his rage. "No more games," his voice was deep and gruff.

She flinched a little.

"Tell me why you turned on me." It was a command, not a question.

"I didn't turn on you, J. I'm treating you the same way I always have." Her voice was raspy, her air supply nearly cut off between his grip on her throat and the air being knocked out of her lungs.

He inhaled sharply, his eyes darkening as he fought the urge to throw her across the room. "Don't fucking lie to me," he scolded, tightening his grip on her throat. "Tell me!"

She shook her head and he snarled, releasing her. He began to pace, his movements like that of a caged panther, and she slid gracelessly down to the floor, watching him intently.

He finally stopped pacing, keeping a safe distance from her as he regarded her. "What did I do? What did I do to you in there to cause all of this?"

"You didn't do anything, J." It wasn't a lie.

"Then I must have said something. We were locked up together for almost a year – what the _fuck _could have happened in all that time to make you abandon me?" his voice was deceptively calm, and she didn't trust it. One look at the darkness in his eyes told her all she needed to know – he was walking the razor's edge.

"Nothing," she admitted, looking anywhere but at him. "Just drop it. _Please_."

"Ha! They say _I'm_ crazy, but here _you_ stand with my name tattooed on your chest, and you can't even fucking _look_ at me." He was crouching in front of her now, and chills ran down her spine as she felt his eyes on her. "I remember a time when all you did was look at me. Do you remember that, little bird? Do you remember the way you used to _watch_ me?" He grabbed her by the hair and forced her to look at him, his eyes nearly black now. He was struggling to fight off the madness – he knew he'd hurt her if it took control. He wanted answers, but he certainly didn't want to beat them out of her in his psychosis.

"Don't make me turn into a monster," he whispered.

"What do you want me to say, J? You didn't do or say anything wrong. In fact, you did everything right," her eyes were brimming with tears and his eyebrows furrowed. He had never seen her cry. Not once. She had endured a lot of shit in her life – he had read about her history in her file from Arkham. Of course, she had told him some things herself late at night in Arkham, when the lights went out and they were plunged into darkness and she was too restless to sleep. She truly was tough as nails. Even on her first night at Arkham, after being brutalized and humiliated, he didn't see a single tear leave her eyes.

He calmed down a little, feeling the madness slowly begin to slip away, and he released her hair. "You used to talk to me," he muttered, smoothing his hair back with both hands. "You never used to lie to me."

He stood up and retrieved his jacket, pulling it on before making his way to the desk and grabbing his keys and his phone. He was just about to open the door when she spoke, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"I know what you did for me."

He turned around, leaning back against the door and crossing his arms over his chest. "What would that be?"

"Officer Atkins. Doctor Hammond. The guards from my intake. I don't know exactly what you did, but I know you protected me."

He smirked at her. "Let's play a game," he purred, not moving from his post at the door. "I'll tell you what I did if _you_ tell me why you have been an ice cold, heartless bitch to me since the breakout. We'll take turns – one question for one answer, one at a time. What do you say?"

She scowled at him, and he knew he had won. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist getting answers about the Doctor and the guards – she _hated _not knowing things, especially when it involved her. He pulled his jacket off, tossing it back onto her bed and fixed them both some very strong drinks – filling the glasses almost to the rim with Jameson and just a little splash of ginger ale – and sat on the futon, looking at her expectantly.

"Hurry up, baby. I don't have all night."

When she crossed the room and made to sit next to him, he laughed and tugged her down into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around her waist. "No more running away," he growled, nipping at her bare shoulder. Her glass shook as she raised it to her lips and took a long, deep drink from it. She always got the worst tremors when she was anxious and she hated it – it made her look weak. Her hands shook violently as she folded them in her lap, only stopping when he placed one of his own on top of hers.

"Ladies first" he drawled, spreading his legs so she was nestled more comfortably in his lap. He took a swig of his drink, waiting for her to ask her question.

'What did you do to Officer Atkins to make him disappear?"

He grinned at her, his eyes dancing with mischief. "_I _didn't do anything. I was in my cell the entire time."

"What did you ha -"

He waggled his finger at her in a scolding manner, silencing her. "It's my turn, baby." She squirmed in his lap, anxiety written all over her face. He pressed a kiss to her throat to try and calm her down, pulling her closer to him. "Why did you abandon me, Raven?"

"Because I had to," she whispered, her eyes pooling with tears again.

He looked down at her, noticing the tears in her eyes, and he sighed. "I'll let that shitty lack of an answer slide.. for now. Ask your next question."

"Were you the reason why the male guards left me alone after my first night?"

"In a way, yes." He hadn't taken his eyes off of her during their exchange, and he gave her a warning look before he asked his next question. "Do you still have feelings for me, my little bird?"

That must have been the straw that broke the camel's back. She frantically wriggled out of his grip, darting off to her bathroom and slammed the door behind her, locking it. He heard the faucet turn on and a soft _thump_, and he realized she was having one of her meltdowns. No, he'd never witnessed one of them before, but she had told him a little bit about what she called her 'spirals'. Something would happen to set her off – or 'break her brain', as she described it – and she'd fall down the rabbit hole. She would binge drink, she'd snort blow, adderall or ketamine until she physically couldn't anymore and blood would flow nonstop from her nose, she'd fuck men she didn't even like, she'd alienate her loved ones and hole up in her house and sit in the dark for days, and she wouldn't eat.

He wasn't going to allow that, however. He snarled, stalking over to the bathroom and kicking the door open, splintering the door frame and effectively breaking the lock. He found her on the floor, weeping, and frantically trying to hide something behind her back as he approached her. The business card on the floor told him all he needed to know and he clenched his fists, stopping himself from shaking her in his rage. He leaned down and reached around her, snatching the bag of coke and the little straw from her hands, tossing them carelessly into the toilet. Gone was the laughing, unpredictable, perplexing and dangerous psychopath – the Clown Prince of Crime. The man that stood in the bathroom now was the _other_ Joker, the one that _did _have feelings, the one nobody else ever got to see. Nobody but _her_.

"We're gonna talk, Raven, and when we're done you're gonna tell me who supplied you with that shit," he snapped, lifting her off the ground and carrying her into the main area. He held her in one arm and used the other to pull back her bedding, gently laying her down and tucking her in before he climbed in beside her. She was still crying, her body shaking as she sobbed and hyperventilated. He pulled her close to him, letting her weep against his chest. "I won't let you hurt yourself," he was whispering to her, soothing her. "I won't let you self-destruct. I don't give a shit if you hate me for it – you're moving in with me. You and your gigantic fucking dogs," he knew the last part would at least bring a smile to her face and he chuckled when he heard a soft laugh escape her.

He cupped her face in his hands and lowered his head, kissing her softly. She returned the kiss and he smiled against her lips, wishing they'd been doing this since their escape from Arkham. He broke the kiss, planting a soft, light one to her forehead and wrapped his arms tight around her. "Tell me why," he whispered.

She sniffled, burying her face deeper in his chest as if she could hide from him, and her voice was broken when she spoke. "Because you scare the shit out of me, J."

He knew what she meant. No, she wasn't physically afraid of him. She wasn't afraid he'd hit her or kill her, or do to her what he'd done to many, many others. She was scared of his capacity to break her heart. He chuckled despite himself, recalling Harleen's words on the bridge the night she stopped him on his hunt for Raven.

"_My heart scares you, but a gun doesn't?"_

If only Harleen Quinzel knew the truth – he wasn't afraid of her love, of her feelings. No. That's not why he avoided her and cast her out. She was always just a means to an end – he could never love a woman like her. She was needy, desperate, unhinged and clingy. But Raven – _his_ Raven – was strong, fearless, independent and ruthless. She didn't need anyone, and she didn't want anyone. Anyone that was in her presence had earned the right to be there. She did not waste her time on many people, being very selective of the company she kept. As soon as Raven came down that cell block, covered in blood and basking in her own insanity, Joker knew he wanted her. He didn't want Harleen Quinzel because he wanted _Raven_.

Raven, however... Raven would sooner play Russian Roulette with only _one_ bullet missing than ever lay her heart on the line for a man again, and Joker understood. Every man she had ever loved either died, abused her, or broke her heart. She had been hurt so much in her short 27 years of life that she had completely shut down. People believed the Joker was a true psychopath incapable of feeling any emotions, but that wasn't true – that was just his other side, his Clown Prince of Crime persona. Raven was the one incapable of feeling emotions, mostly because of all the trauma she suffered – so when any feelings surfaced, she panicked and tried to kill them by any means possible, making sure to also get rid of whoever or whatever sparked it. She would rather be completely apathetic and cold than to give anyone the opportunity to hurt her ever again.

"I would never hurt you." He promised her, kissing the top of her head. "Never."

"Tell that to the carving in my chest," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry for that." He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him and holding her tight as she curled into his side. "You hurt me too, songbird."

"I know."

"Have I ever once pulled a gun on you or shot at you? Have I ever run out on you or abandoned you? I tore apart the entire city trying to find you. I'd never willingly leave your side, Raven. You have to know that by now."

"I do."

"Then stop running from me. Besides, I will _always _find you."

"I don't know how to do this," she whispered, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat. It calmed her, helping her to relax and regulate her breathing.

He smiled, tucking his fingers under her chin and gently lifting her face so he could look at her. Pain shot through his chest when he saw her red, puffy, swollen eyes and the tear stains on her cheeks. He used his thumbs to wipe away the wetness on her cheeks, gently stroking her face. "Do you trust me?"

"For the most part." It was an honest answer.

He chuckled. "I'll take it. I'll prove myself to you. I'll make you happy. You just have to trust me enough to let me."

"I can't do that, J, and you know it. I can't do this with you. I can't do it with anybody. I'm broken – I don't _feel_ things."

"You feel things for _me_, and you know it. You knew it back in Arkham, and you know it now."

"I can't, J. Please, just go with Harley or whatever the fuck her name is – at least she loves you. At least she can _say_ it. She _chases_ you, for fuck's sake – she doesn't run from you."

"Shut the fuck up," he snapped, glaring at her. "Don't bring her up anymore – I don't want to hear her name, I don't want to hear anything about her. I don't care about her. I don't want her. I want _you_. If I can't have you, I don't want _anyone_. Don't be stupid."

He sighed, pulling her up his body by her waist so they were face to face. "You know why we're drawn to each other, songbird?" he whispered. She shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears again.

"I'll tell you why, princess. Because you and I are the only ones capable of making each other _feel_. You were like Fort Knox when we met – no one was ever going to break down your walls again, no one would ever get inside and have the power to hurt you. But_ I_ got through – you let me in. You did it without even realizing it. It came naturally to you – that's what's so beautiful about it." He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "You saved me, Songbird. You brought me back to life. I was a monster before you came along – sure, I still am, but at least I'm somewhat _human _when I'm around you. I can be like _this _around you – unguarded, vulnerable... _honest_. Over two hundred professionals couldn't even scratch the surface, yet you snuck your way into my heart in an instant without even _trying_."

She didn't say anything, and that was alright with him. "You have ten more minutes to sulk and then I'm throwing your ass in the shower. We're going to the club tonight. You can bring the dogs."

"Karma and Hades can come with us? Really?" she perked up at that, smiling a little bit.

"Yes – they make great additions to security and my image." He winked at her, grinning down at her.

They both chuckled at that and he was relieved that she seemed to be getting back to normal. A thought struck him and he felt the shift – his other persona was clawing its way back to the surface.

"One more thing, birdie – who sold you the blow?"

The Clown Prince of Crime was back, his expression and entire demeanor shifting right before her eyes. She shuddered, curling herself tighter into his side.

"You've got one minute to give me a name, or I'll shoot every person I see on the street the whole way back to the club – and if there's more than one, I want them _all_."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" She rolled her eyes at him, but he didn't let up, eyeing her like a hawk. "Fine. Baby, GG, and Irv."

"Thanks, toots." He slowly sat up, pulling her up with him and nipped at her throat. "Since you're being such a good girl for me, I'll answer your questions." He grinned at her, an evil look on his face.

"The night you first came to Arkham, I didn't like what they did to you. _I hated it." _His face was contorted with rage and it made her blood run cold – that look was the same one he made before people ended up dead.

"The next day, when Officer Atkins got off shift, he went home to find his entire family slaughtered. The other guards involved received severed fingers and eyeballs in nicely wrapped gift boxes on their doorsteps," she shivered at that, and he chuckled for a moment before he continued. "I think they got the message."

"As for Doctor Hammond... well, he and his wife burned to death in a house fire. Unfortunately, their doors and windows had been nailed shut, trapping them inside." He looked absolutely gleeful, recalling the newspaper article about it that Johnny had saved for him. "As for everyone else – well, anyone that so much as _looked _at you wrong was slaughtered during the escape. I made sure of that."

"Jesus Christ," Raven gasped, her eyes widening.

"Oh, he had nothing to do with it." The Joker laughed, cupping her face in his hands. He looked her right in the eye, making sure she understood he meant what he was about to say. "I'd do _anything_ for you."

With that said, he pulled her up and out of her bed. "Let's get you cleaned up and find you something pretty to wear."

* * *

Once she was done showering, she had dried and straightened her long black hair, taking her time and applying her makeup with practiced precision. Her green eyes were rimmed with black eyeliner in a perfect cat eye, and she had applied what was becoming her signature deep burgundy red lipstick. She applied some mascara to her lashes as a finishing touch, and wrapped a towel tightly around herself before carefully opening the damaged bathroom door, reeling at the sight of a bunch of the Joker's henchmen moving around the warehouse. They were packing up everything she owned, loading it all into black vans.

Her eyes scanned the room until her gaze landed on the Joker, sprawled out lazily on her futon and watching his men like a hawk with Karma and Hades on either side of him, sitting obediently. She noticed he was wearing different clothes now. He was donning a purple button up with half the buttons undone, a silver suit blazer over it, and black pants. He even had on black dress shoes. She lifted her chin and sauntered over to him confidently, hiding her embarrassment at being clad in only a bath towel as men swarmed her warehouse.

"That _is _a pretty towel, baby, but I meant something more along the lines of a dress," he joked, raking his eyes over her form.

"Bite me," she spat, glaring at him.

He grinned at her. "Your wish is my command." As soon as the words left his mouth, he leaned forward and lowered his head, sinking his teeth into the side of her thigh. She grabbed him by the hair and roughly pulled his head back up, and he laughed.

"I _love _it when you get rough with me!" He yanked her down into his lap so she was straddling him. "I've got another surprise for you." He pointed towards her bed where a purple dress, the same exact color as his Lamborghini, was carefully laid out. "Hold on," he commanded her, pulling her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he lifted her from the couch, carrying her over to her bed. "Mind grabbing that for me?" he whispered, motioning with his head to the dress. A pair of shoes lay in a box next to it and she grinned, excited to put them on. She reached out her arm and grabbed the shoes and dress before Joker carried her into the bathroom, carefully closing the broken door the best he could.

"I'd apologize for the door, but you won't be coming back here." He winked at her and leaned back against the wall, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Nobody's gonna come in here or see you," he assured her, catching the weary look she had on her face. The door was closed, sure, but the frame was split and left an inch worth of space open that someone could peek into.

She nodded and picked the dress up in her hands, admiring the way it shimmered in the light, and she smiled. She glanced at him and bit her lip, nervous about changing in front of him again. Sure, she had been kissing him and flirting with him all night, and she was extremely attracted to him, but letting him see her naked was a completely different ballgame. That night in his bedroom was different – she wasn't herself, she wasn't thinking rationally, she was exhausted and injured, and she at least had a bra and panties on. This was different. They had reconnected tonight, and he had called her out on her feelings for him. She was terrified.

Yes, she had fallen for him during their time in Arkham – it wasn't hard to do, after all. He was charming, funny, incredibly intelligent and witty, and he was always fixated on her, making her skin tingle and her heart race. He had always been kind to her in Arkham – it was like he was psychic. He always seemed to know when she was hurting, angry, or restless, and he had this strange way of calming her with little effort. She had fallen in love with him over all those months and it scared the absolute hell out of her. That's why she ran from him during the escape – there weren't any bars keeping them apart anymore. He could touch her, he could kiss her, he could hold her, and she knew that all of those things would break the last bit of resolve she had left. If she let him do those things – if she left with him and let herself become his – he could destroy her.

He was right. He had broken down all of her walls, reached inside her and grabbed her by the heartstrings, effectively possessing her in a way no other man ever had. That's the other thing that frightened her and fueled her to keep running from him – the true, crazy, deep, _painful_ love she felt for him. He had struck her like lightning when she first laid eyes on him – time itself had stopped and the world screeched to a halt on its axis when his eyes met hers. She always thought she had loved before, that all the men that had ripped her heart to pieces throughout the years were only capable of hurting her so badly because she loved them. If men she hadn't truly loved had been able to destroy her, shattering her very sanity along with her heart, then she could only assume she would die from the pain the Joker was capable of causing her. She couldn't let that happen. She had sworn she would never, ever let a man have any kind of power or control over her ever again, and she'd never again give herself to anyone. She would die alone, no matter how lonely she may get sometimes, if it meant that she could keep her battered heart from suffering any more damage.

She would move in with the Joker. She would let him kiss her and be affectionate with her, and she would reciprocate it. She would flirt with him and play his games. That was fine, but she was not going to give herself to him. She would never, ever say those three little words to him, and she would never allow herself to fully succumb to him. She would not sleep with him at night, she would not fuck him and she would not let herself fall back in love with him. She would busy herself with her 'work, her friends and her dogs, and that would keep her distracted long enough to kill off her feelings for him and get back to the cold, heartless, and cruel entity she had been since she killed Damian.

"Shy, are we?" his voice startled her, ripping her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"You've been standing there trapped inside your own head for the past 7 minutes." He was watching her carefully, suspiciously.

"I'm fine," she said, reaching into a drawer underneath the sink and fishing out a black lace push-up bra and matching thong panties. "I'll be right out," she said, ducking into the shower to hide herself from him. She dropped the towel and quickly put on her bra and panties, shimmying into the dress and slipping her feet into the heels. The dress was strapless and had a deep v between her breasts that showed off the roundness and perkiness of them along with the black lace fabric of her bra, and the hem cut off at mid-thigh. It was absolutely gorgeous, and she was impressed by how perfectly it fit her – usually in a dress like this, she'd be afraid to lift her arms or move around too much in fear of her breasts falling out, but she was secure and comfortable in it. The shoes were silver and shimmered just like the dress did – stiletto pumps that made her look much taller than she really was. She was nervous to walk in them – she really didn't walk too well in heels and usually stuck with the kind she could strap or tie around her ankles to keep her feet securely in place. These gave her no such option and she bit her lip, praying she wouldn't trip, twist her ankle, or worse – fall.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and stepped back out of the shower, slowly making her way towards the Joker. He grinned at her, slowly raking his eyes over her from head to toe, his eyes darkening with his desire. She lifted her chin and straightened her spine, letting her badass, intimidating, domineering femme fatale persona wash over her and take control. Much like the Joker, she had several different personalities. No, they didn't suffer from split or even multiple personalities. She had always described herself as a chameleon – someone able to adjust and adapt to any and all situations, environments, occasions, and crowds. She could change her personality and her demeanor at the drop of the hat to suit her surroundings and the people she was in the presence of. She liked to think of it as a survival tactic – she would always have the upper hand because she was unpredictable and fluid.

The Joker was the same. She always referred to his different personas as 'J, Mister J, and Joker' – never out loud, only in her own mind. She had noticed during their time in Arkham that there were three different sides to him – three different personas. She referred to his usual self – the psychopathic, always laughing, unpredictable and trigger happy Clown Prince of Crime – as 'Mister J.' His more rational, organized, and _normal_ persona she simply labeled as 'J'. Last but not least, there was 'Joker' – the savage, feral beast he became when the madness took control of him and his eyes would turn that frightening black color. 'Joker' was the creature she was faced with that night in his bathroom, when he'd abused her and goaded her into a blackout episode for his own entertainment. She was afraid of 'Joker', yes, but she'd never back down from him and she'd always bite back – even if she was tempting the devil himself.

She grinned at him, exuding a confidence she only had when she was in this role, and teasingly pressed her body against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips, nipping at his bottom one roughly before pulling back enough to look him in the eye. "How do I look?" her voice was husky and enticing.

He made that half-purr, half-growl noise that always seemed to send electricity through her body and she couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on the bathroom counter, his arms on either side of her head and his torso between her spread legs. His eyes were darker than usual and the look in them was predatory. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" his voice mirrored hers – husky, sultry, and low.

"No, but I have a colorful imagination," she teased, winking at him. "Let's get going." She gently pushed him away from her, sliding off the counter and landing on her feet. He cocked his head to the side and watched as she wrenched the broken door open, stepping out into the now empty warehouse. He smoothed his hair back and ran his hands down his face before following her out, pleased to see that everything she owned was gone – everything except Karma, Hades, her cell phone, and her shoulder holster complete with her two favorite guns. He grabbed her holster and helped her into it, taking a step back to admire her. "Shall we?" he extended his arm out to her and she laughed as she took it, her phone in her other hand. Karma and Hades followed obediently as they walked outside and approached his car.

Raven's expression was one of pure confusion as her eyes landed on Johnny standing next to her beloved Grand National, parked next to the Joker's Lamborghini. "How'd you know?" She asked, not taking her eyes off of her car.

Joker laughed. "I have my ways. Johnny boy – take these pretty puppies with you and bring them to the VIP booth for me."

"Joker, I don't know about that... I'd rather just drive them myself."

Joker rolled his eyes at her. "Johnny will take good care of your babies and your car. You're coming in the Lambo with me." She still looked upset and he groaned. "I promise they'll be fine."

She sighed, crouching down to kiss the dogs' faces. "Be good, babies. No sitting in the front seat, no pacing, and no slobbering on Johnny. I'll see you soon."

Johnny looked amused as he loaded the dogs into the backseat of the Grand National. "I'll be extra careful," he promised, getting in the front seat and taking off towards the club.

She rounded on the Joker and glared at him, her hands on her hips. "If anything happens to my babies -"

"Yes, yes, I know. You'll kill me." He laughed and led her to the passenger seat, opening the door for her. Once she was in and settled, he closed the door and made his way around the car to the driver's side. "Buckle up, baby," he grinned at her, starting the car and taking off like a bat out of hell.


	5. Chapter 5

****Disclaimer:**** I don't own or take credit for anything. Blah, blah, blah.

**Author's Note: **This chapter will be longer than the others. As usual, there are triggers in this story: domestic violence, mentions of sexual assault, drugs, alcohol, etc. This story is rated M for a reason.

* * *

****IMPORTANT INFORMATION/TRIGGER WARNING AT THE END – PLEASE READ****

* * *

Joker and Raven sat in the VIP booth with Hades and Karma, both safe and sound after their trip with Johnny, and watched the patrons of the club. Joker scanned the dance floor before shifting his gaze to the numerous cages surrounding it, satisfied that they were occupied with his dancers, until his eyes met those of none other than Harleen Quinzel. She was dancing in one of the outfits reserved for his dancers in a cage she must've commandeered from one of his dancers. He snapped his fingers and Johnny appeared before him almost instantly. Joker beckoned with his hand for Johnny to come closer, pointing with his free hand at Harleen.

"What is she doing here?" his voice was laced with venom. Raven followed the direction of Joker's finger and her eyes bulged. "Is that who I think it is?" She was shocked.

Joker ignored her question, turning to look at Johnny. "Get. Rid. Of. Her."

Johnny nodded and quickly walked away, heading for the cage Harleen was in. Raven smirked at Joker, folding her arms over her abdomen. "I told you your security was lacking."

His gaze snapped to hers and she blinked, realizing he – ironically – wasn't in the mood for jokes. His eyes had darkened significantly and he looked absolutely furious, his right hand twitching. She reached out and rested her hand on his thigh. "Sorry," she muttered, trying to calm him down. He waved her off without a word and leaned forward, watching as Johnny finally reached the cage Harleen was in and attempted to pull her out. She put up a fight, just as he expected, and began making a scene. She was kicking and screaming, yelling Joker's name, and Johnny looked as if he would love nothing more than to shoot her at that point.

"I'll get rid of her," Raven offered, but Joker put up his hand and shook his head. He whistled and caught Johnny's attention, motioning for the man to bring Harleen to him. Harleen caught his eye and her expression brightened. She stopped fighting and allowed Johnny to escort her to VIP, leading her directly to Joker's booth. Karma and Hades stood and snarled at the woman, their hackles raised and baring their teeth at her as she approached. Raven smirked, allowing the behavior instead of trying to restrain them. She was confident that the blonde wasn't crazy enough to risk being mauled by two aggressive guard dogs.

"What is __she__doing here?" Harleen demanded, completely unaffected by the dogs as she glared at Raven. Raven shot her a winning smile and held up a hand, wiggling her fingers at the woman.

"She lives here... with _me_," Joker answered, watching her carefully.

"You can't be serious!" Harleen spat, shaking with rage. Johnny was standing behind her, a hand on his gun. His eyebrows raised in surprise at the woman's belligerent attitude and defiance.

"Got a problem, bitch?" Raven retorted, getting to her feet and cracking her knuckles. Joker shook his head at her, not saying a word, and pulled her into his lap. He ignored the furious scream that ripped from Harleen's throat as he spread his legs wider, shifting Raven in his lap so her ass was over his crotch and her legs were draped over one of his. He wrapped an arm around her lower back and she wrapped one around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. He draped his free arm over Raven's legs and finally looked at Harleen, a bored expression on his face.

"Doctor Quinzel," he drawled, sliding his hand up Raven's thigh and resting it on her hip. "To what do I owe the __pleasure__?"

The woman was crying at this point, clenching her jaw with her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I told you I love you!" she shouted. "I proved it time and time again. I did everything you asked – I helped you! What has __she__done for you? She's not good enough for you! She doesn't know you like I do! She doesn't understand you!"

His eyes darkened at that and he went rigid. He raised his hand, holding up one finger and leveled Harleen with a murderous look. "Careful," he snarled. He leaned over Raven and groaned as she pressed a kiss to his throat, no doubt taunting Harleen. He grabbed his gun off the table in front of him and held it loosely in his hand, a subtle yet clear threat. "Twice, Doctor Quinzel. I've __allowed__ you to live twice. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your pretty little head off, and I'll consider it."

He leaned back, pulling Raven closer to him and letting his head fall back against the cushion of the booth as she slid her hand into his shirt, lazily stroking his skin with her fingertips. She glared at Harleen before ducking her head under Joker's chin, pressing soft kisses to his throat. He groaned and slid his hand up her back to grab a fistful of her hair, his cock stiffening in his pants. Harleen was feral at this point but didn't move, wary of the large dogs still baring their teeth at her.

Harleen finally spoke, her voice cracked and raw with emotion. "Because you know you care about me, even if you won't admit it. You won't kill me because you can't – you _need_ me."

Joker laughed, opening his eyes and leaning forward to look at her. "Oh, Doc," he feigned a sympathetic look, clicking his tongue at her. "I must have scrambled your brains a little too much!"

The blonde glared at him, tears still streaming down her face. "So, what? You care about her more than me? She kills all of her boyfriends, Mistah J. She's just gonna hurt you! She's a fucking black widow!"

Joker had enough at that point. He pointed his gun at her, aiming right for her head. "I've grown tired of this little game, Doctor," he hissed. Raven was still pressing kisses to his throat and bared chest, her hand wrapped around his back and digging her nails in his skin as she fought the urge to strangle the blonde. "One more word about my little bird and you will find yourself in a shallow grave on the outskirts of the city."

"Tell me what to do!" Harleen was desperate, pleading. "Tell me how to prove myself to you – I __love __you, just give me a chance!" She was on her knees at this point, hands clasped together, literally begging.

"My god," Joker sighed, lifting Raven's face to his. "We're going on a field trip, baby," he whispered, planting a kiss on her lips. She eagerly returned it, holding his face in her hands and shifting so she was straddling him. They were both in their own little world as they kissed each other hungrily, ignoring Harleen, the angry pair of dogs, and a very uncomfortable Johnny who made sure to keep his eyes off of them at all costs. Joker still held his gun tightly in his hand as he wrapped his arms around Raven's waist, pulling her closer to him. "Oh, baby," he cooed, grinning at her as he pulled away. "Let's go. The sooner we go, the sooner we can come home and pick up where we left off."

Raven smiled brightly at him and slowly slid off of his lap, letting him pull her to her feet. She sneered at Harleen who was glaring daggers at her. The Joker whistled, and his other henchmen made their way to the booth, awaiting orders. "Johnny boy, bring the babies to the apartment," he motioned to Karma and Hades and Johnny nodded, beckoning the dogs to him. They wouldn't budge, still focused on Harleen and pinning her where she stood.

"Karma, Hades," Raven's voice was stern. She snapped her fingers, and both dogs quickly trotted over to her and sat obediently at her feet. "Go with Johnny, babies," she commanded. "Be good for Mama. Go on." She nodded her head towards Johnny and the dogs obediently went to him, ignoring Harleen as they passed her. Johnny chuckled, beckoning for the dogs to follow him and they went without hesitation, flanking the man on each side as he walked.

The Joker was smiling at her, impressed by the control she had over the large dogs. It was amusing to watch such a small, petite woman command two dogs that both weighed about 20-30 pounds more than she did with such ease. He ripped his gaze from her and looked past Harleen to his henchmen. "Put her in the trunk – be careful, she's feisty." He pointed at Harleen and the woman shrieked as the 5 men grabbed her and zip tied her wrists and ankles together, duct taping her mouth shut to stop the blood-curdling screams coming from her. Within minutes, she was being dragged off and out the back door, thrown carelessly into the trunk of Joker's purple Lamborghini and locked inside.

Joker took Raven's hand and led her out of the club and towards the back door, escorting her outside and to the car. He blocked her path with his arm as she made to open the door, waiting for her to look at him before he spoke. "Was all of that in there for my benefit, or for hers?"

Raven knew it might be a poor choice, but she played dumb. "What are you talking about?"

"Raven..." he was absolutely serious, stepping closer to her. "I'm not stupid, and you know it." He took another step.

"I know you did it all to provoke her, little bird. I'm not naive – I know that you aren't going to submit to me. I know you're going to fight me and push me away. I know you're probably already plotting your next grand escape from me. I _know_ you, songbird, even if you don't believe it."

Raven bit her lip, dropping her gaze to the ground. "If you know me so well, you know why I can't be with you – why I'll push you away as far as I can and keep running."

"You can run, little bird. That's fine. Just remember what I told you – I'll _always _find you, one way or another. Just do me one favor before you go." He took another step and closed the distance between them, looming over her. She finally looked back up at him and he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her in place. "Sing for me again – even if it's just one last time."

He released her and backed off, striding back over to the car and opening the door for her. They didn't look at each other as she slipped into the passenger seat. He shut the door and made his way around the car, getting in and starting it up. He still didn't look at her as he put the car in gear, heading for Ace Chemicals.

* * *

Raven stood off to the side, watching as the Joker circled Harleen. She still had duct tape over her mouth and her wrists were still zip tied, but her ankles had been cut free – Joker had cut her loose to drag her up the stairs to the platform above the vats of chemicals, in no mood to carry the wriggling woman.

Raven wasn't sure why he had brought them there, or what he planned to do, but from the looks of the abandoned building and the bubbling chemical vats below them, she could tell this wouldn't end well for the Doctor.

"You know, Doc," Joker had stopped circling the woman and stood before her, looming over her with an intense look in his eyes. "As tired as I am of your games, I'm in the mood for just _one _more."

He kept his eyes on Harleen's as he beckoned Raven over with his hand. "I'm going to let Raven decide whether you live or die. If I were you, I'd apologize for your nasty little comments earlier tonight." He ripped the tape off Harleen's mouth, causing the woman to cry out in pain. He reveled in it, grinning widely and barking a laugh.

"What do you say, baby? Should I push the Doctor off of this platform, or should I let her go?"

Harleen was crying, reaching out her hands in an attempt to grab at Joker's shirt. He snarled at her, backing away just seconds before she made contact with his shirt and glared at her. "Do _not_ touch me," he warned. The woman recoiled as if he'd slapped her and made a whimpering noise, clearly hurt by the man's rejection. "Why are you doing this to me?" she whined, dropping to her knees before him.

Raven rolled her eyes at Joker's side, groaning in annoyance.

"Was _any _of it real, Mistah J? Did you ever really love me?" Harleen's words cut through Raven like a knife. She was no stranger to the heartbreak the Doctor was experiencing – she knew how awful it felt to stand before a man you loved, realizing he never felt the same about you. It was something that the woman would never, ever forget and would change her forever. Raven felt bad for her in that moment, despite the woman's nasty words earlier in the night. She looked over at the Joker who looked amused, as usual.

"Poor thing," he mocked, crouching down to meet her eyes. "I fried your brain beyond repair, it seems."

He wrapped his tattooed hand around her face, plastering the grin over her mouth. He grinned at Harleen as he spoke, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I _never _loved you – I never even told you I did. You had _one_ purpose – helping me to break out of Arkham. That's it. You are of no use to me anymore, which means your life is _worthless _to me."

The woman sobbed and Raven frowned, feeling a pang of guilt in her chest as she watched the two of them. It was like watching her old self through an outsider's perspective, causing memories of her past heartbreaks to flood her brain. She inhaled sharply, running her hands through her hair and turning her back to the Joker and Harleen, not wanting to witness the blonde's pain anymore. She was a cold-blooded killer, sure – but she killed _men. _Bad men. Men that hurt women. Yet here she was – at the side of one of the worst men to ever exist – an accessory to another woman's heartbreak and suffering.

She growled and whipped back around, yanking the Joker up by the front of his shirt. She glared at him as he grinned at her, holding his shirt tightly in her fist. "That's enough," she hissed, her eyes blazing with her rage. "Let her go."

"What's got your panties in a knot?" he joked, wrapping his arms around her. "Surely you don't _care _about the Doctor's feelings?"

"Do I look amused to you, J?" she barked, her grip on his shirt tightening. Harleen was still on her knees, quietly watching the argument between the two.

"Not particularly," he drawled, unaffected by her ire. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her but she roughly shoved him away, stalking over to Harleen. She yanked the woman up from the floor by her arms and examined the zip ties around her wrists, scowling when she realized she didn't have any of her knives on her to cut the woman loose. Joker, however – he always had knives on him. She held a hand out towards him, looking at him expectantly. "Give me a knife, or cut her loose yourself," she commanded.

He laughed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the same gold butterfly knife from their bathroom fight. "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he cooed, making his way around the two women. He gripped Harleen's wrists in one hand, flipping his knife open in his other hand, and slowly lowered the blade to her zip ties. Raven watched him carefully, knowing better than to trust him. In one swift motion, he tossed the knife to the side and shoved Harleen off of the platform, laughing in delight as she screamed, plummeting down towards the vats.

"Son of a bitch!" Raven shouted, glaring coldly at him. "When I get back up here, I'm going to fucking skin you alive," she seethed, shrugging off her shoulder holster and stepping out of her heels.

"When you... what?" His laughter ceased as he looked at her, realizing what she was about to do. "Raven, **NO**!" He was screaming, reaching for her a second too late – she had already launched herself off the platform and with a loud _SPLASH, _she dove into the same vat Harleen had plummeted into.

He raked his hands through his hair and snarled, peeling off his silver blazer and quickly unbuttoning his purple shirt, tossing both items to the floor by the knife. "She's going to be the fucking death of me," he muttered, launching himself off the platform.

Raven had found Harleen at the bottom of the vat and pulled her up to the surface, choking and coughing as she pulled the unconscious woman with her towards the edge. She carefully hoisted herself up, pulling Harleen up and holding her close to her body as she grit her teeth and screwed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the inevitable pain she'd experience once they both toppled to the floor below them. "You stupid broad," she hissed at Harleen, her skin and eyes burning from the chemicals they had plunged into. "You better apologize to me when you wake up."

She was about to flip them over the edge of the vat when the Joker crashed into it, splashing her and Harleen with more of the chemicals. She growled in frustration, spitting the vile liquid out of her mouth and freeing up a hand to wipe her face with. "Get the fuck away from me," she spat as the Joker came to the surface, making his way towards the two women. "In fact, I never want to see you again."

His eyes darkened at that, and he closed the distance between them anyway. "You don't mean that," he whispered, reaching out to touch her face. "Don't fucking _touch_ me, clown!" she screamed, jerking away from him. She quickly hoisted Harleen back up, gripping the woman's limp body tightly as she leaned back, praying the fall wouldn't kill them both when they hit the ground. The last thing she remembered was plummeting towards the ground and catching a glimpse of the Joker's rage contorted face before everything went black.

The next morning, the Joker paced around his bedroom, glancing every now and then at the unconscious woman in his bed, curled up with Karma and Hades who hadn't left her side even once. Her skin was as ghostly white as his own, her hair had turned purple – the same shimmering purple of the dress she wore that matched the purple of his Lamborghini – and her eyes had faded from bright green to aqua green. Her lips seemed to be permanently painted with her signature burgundy red, and if he was being honest – he loved the way she looked. It wasn't that she wasn't beautiful before – no, she was absolutely stunning – but now... well, _now _she looked more like him.

He had hidden her guns in his own armory, knowing that whenever she woke up and got her wits about her, all hell would break loose and she would probably slit his throat and bathe in his blood. He was not looking forward to it, but he knew it was inevitable.

She had thrown herself and Harleen over the edge of the vat and they had both crashed into the floor, with Raven taking the brunt of the fall. The stupid woman had held Harleen close to her chest, flipping them before impact so she landed on her back with Harleen on top of her. He would never forget the sound of the sickening crack that echoed in the warehouse as her skull hit the floor, and his own feral scream that followed it. She had split her head open, although not too terribly, and when he had finally gotten to her he thought she was dead. She was limp, bleeding profusely from her skull, and her breathing was so shallow he had to put his finger under her nose to confirm she actually still was.

He had taken both women back to the club, putting his men in charge of Harleen as she was settled into a guest room on the second floor. He had filled up the tub once he got Raven into his bedroom, carefully peeling off her dissolving dress and undergarments before pulling her unconscious body into the water with him, carefully washing her hair, face, and body. He was too late, of course – the chemicals had already changed her the same as they had changed him all those years ago.

Harleen was completely changed, too. Her skin had also turned bright white, her blonde hair nearly white now with pink and blue ends, and her lips were pale instead of their usual pink. She had woken up late last night, screaming and yelling, and he had to have his men subdue her. She had demanded to see the Joker but he refused, not wanting to leave Raven's side. He hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, hadn't left the bedroom since he got there last night. He had instructed his men to see to Harleen's most basic needs and to keep her busy and occupied until he decided what to do with her.

He made his way over to the bed, peering down at Raven as she slept. He gently brushed her purple hair from her face and cringed, not knowing how she'd react to her new appearance. He pulled off his sweatpants, only clad in his boxer briefs as he slipped back into bed beside her, carefully pulling her into his arms and curling his body around hers. Within moments, he finally succumbed to his exhaustion and fell asleep, dreaming of her.

* * *

_It was late at night and neither of them could sleep – Raven was too restless and anxious to sleep, and Joker couldn't sleep because she hadn't been singing. They both sat on either side of the bars that separated them, tucked back against the walls of their cells with their legs drawn up, nearly perfect mirror images of each other. Raven was telling him about her late father who had passed just a few months before she ended up in Arkham._

"_He worked at a strip club, you know." She was grinning at him and he laughed quietly. _

"_Your father was an exotic dancer?" he joked, tickling her arm through the bars. _

_She giggled quietly – they had successfully avoided the guards overhearing them so far and wanted to keep it that way, so they were being as quiet as possible._

"_Hilarious, clown. No, he was the bouncer, doorman, bar back, and personal bodyguard for the owner's son. A jack of all trades, I suppose – though I can't imagine him making a good stripper." She had a distant look on her face and Joker took a moment to study her features. She really was very, very pretty. He stayed quiet, letting her talk. Any time she talked about her father, she got either very excited or very melancholy, and he could tell that the loss had damaged her beyond repair. He liked when she talked about her father – from the stories she told him, he sounded like a good, funny guy. He also had a dark side to him, he was very mafia-like without actually being a made guy. From what the Joker gathered, Raven's father was a very well balanced mix of ruthless murderer and teddy bear. _

"_When I was 18, I'd go visit him on Friday nights before I went out with my friends. I'd get us coffee – dark roast only, we liked our coffee strong and bold – and I'd hang out with him under the awning out front . We'd bullshit and he would make fun of the patrons." She laughed, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Sometimes I'd be there for a couple hours and I'd blow my friends off just to hang out with my dad, having a better time with him than I would at the clubs." She unwrapped her arms from around her knees and leaned back against the wall stretching out her legs and folding her hands in her lap._

"_When I was 22, my friends dragged me there one night and I'll never forget my dad's face when he saw me. I was wearing a skin-tight black dress that hardly left anything to the imagination and black stiletto heels – it barely covered my thighs, had inch-wide straps on it, and it was too small to hold my boobs so they were spilling over the top – it was so slutty. It was the dead of winter, 7 degrees below 0, and I was drunk and not wearing a jacket. Between my outfit and the fact that I was there to actually go inside and not hang out, I thought my dad was going to have a heart attack." _

_She was giggling now, barely able to continue the story. Her giggles stirred his own, and they laughed together, imagining her drunk and stumbling into a strip club where her overprotective, Lebanese, old school and downright terrifying father was the bouncer and doorman. "What did he do?" Joker asked, turning his head to look at her. She was quiet for a moment, simply staring back at him. He caught her gaze as it drifted down to his lips and he grinned. "Naughty thoughts?" he teased, snapping her out of her daze._

"_Shut up," she muttered, a sly smirk on her lips. "As for my dad, well -" her face lit up at the memory, her happiness practically radiating off of her, "he knew all of my friends, you see, so he saw them there all the time. He knew I hated the club and was against the club entirely, only accepting him working there once I was older and understood he needed to work there to keep a roof over our heads. When I told him I was going inside, his eyes nearly popped out of his head but he laughed and waved his hand at the woman at the front desk, letting her know I wasn't to be charged the entry fee. It all seemed too easy – he let me in with my friends, laughing and teasing them as usual as we made our way through the front hall, and when we got to the bar I was out of his sight – or so I thought." _

_Joker raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Let me guess – daddy dearest had everyone clocking your every move?" _

_She grinned. "Something like that. They all knew who I was, used to seeing me as a little kid in the passenger seat of his Buick Bonneville when he'd pick up his paychecks, so everyone was nice to me. I got my drinks quickly, they were made super strong, and even Donald – the coke head manager of the club, who was a great guy and meant well but was also a total fuckin' nutjob – bought me a few tequila shots and took them with me. All of a sudden, I'm looking around the room, just taking stock of my surroundings and I saw my dad's bald head, shining in the shitty lighting as he peeked around the corner of the doorway. He was watching me like a hawk, with just his head visible and this crazy ass look on his face like he was about to murder everyone near me. At that point, I tabbed out and went outside to bullshit with him while my boys messed around with the Russian broads inside. I think he calmed down once I was outside, wearing his jacket to cover myself, and just hanging out with him. Of course, he wore a XXXL, so I looked like a homeless Danny Devito with good hair and makeup and slutty shoes."_

_They both laughed, not even caring about the guards overhearing anymore. _

"_Sounds like a good father," Joker muttered once the laughter died down, meeting her eyes as he turned to look at her._

_"The best," she whispered, looking sad for the first time since she started talking about the man. He didn't know why, but her sadness bothered him – it weighed heavily on him, nearly suffocating him. For some reason, her sadness made him feel sad, too. He shifted his gaze to the corridor outside of their cells, watching and listening intently for any kind of movement or activity. Satisfied that no one was around and wouldn't be for awhile, he turned back to her. "Untie me," he whispered, motioning with his head to his straitjacket. _

_She looked skeptical for a moment but shrugged, motioning for him to turn around. He did, carefully maneuvering his body until his back was to her. "You're either crazy, brave, or stupid," he mused, glancing over his shoulder at her. _

"_Why's that?" she asked, reaching carefully through the bars and working on the straps on his jacket. _

"_You **do **know the stories about me, don't you? How can you be sure I'm not going to hurt you?" _

_She laughed, shrugging even though he couldn't see it. "I have excellent intuition, J. I know you won't hurt me. Besides," her tone shifted – she sounded sad again as she spoke her next words, and he itched to be free of the jacket. "I've lost everyone I ever loved – everyone that loved me unconditionally, everyone I lived for – they're all gone. I have nothing left – no reason to wake up day after day. I'm not scared to die, Joker. I would welcome Death like an old friend if it came for me. **Living** scares the shit out of me." _

_With that, he was free of the jacket and he whipped it away from him, turning to face her. He wrapped his hands around the bars that separated them and leaned as close as he could to her. "Come closer," he whispered, realizing he was unable to reach her. _

"_Why?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Despite her apprehension, she slid forward on her knees and crossed her arms. _

"_Scared, little bird?" he teased, winking at her. She rolled her eyes and huffed, leaning closer to him and wrapping her own hands around the bars, just below his. He looked into her eyes once more, frowning at the sadness in them. Before he realized what he was doing, he had reached through the bars and cupped her face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers through the bars. He slowly closed his eyes, allowing himself this one vulnerable moment, and deepened the kiss when she returned it. Soon, their hands were exploring every inch of each other that they could reach, their tongues were battling each other for dominance as the kiss became frenzied – desperate. Her hands fisted in his hair and he groaned into her mouth, gently placing his hands on either side of her neck and stroking her jaw with his thumbs. He felt as though electricity was coursing through him – he had never felt so alive in his life. His heart was pounding, his stomach was fluttering, his lips were tingling and chills were running down his spine in the most delightful way. He briefly wondered why electroshock therapy couldn't be as delightful._

_He didn't know it or even understand it at the time, but that was the moment he fell in love with her –kissing her through the bars of their cell, shrouded in darkness in the bowels of Arkham Asylum, both of them on their knees on the damp, dirty floors of their cells without a care in the world._

* * *

He was startled out of his dream when he felt movement next to him. Raven was slowly sitting up, wincing at the pain ravaging her skull and her body. His heart stopped when he opened his eyes, her newly aqua green ones boring into him. He sighed and sat up, peeling the sheets and duvet off of him before getting to his feet and putting a safe distance between them. "Go ahead," he prodded, spreading his arms wide. "Let me have it, I know you want to."

"First, I want to know how the fuck I got into this t shirt and where my god damn panties and bra went," she snarled, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. They had been destroyed by the chemicals and he hadn't felt like digging any new ones out of her boxes of stuff, so he had simply pulled one of his shirts over her and put her to bed after he finished bathing her.

"I think that's quite obvious," he drawled, folding his arms over his abdomen and concealing his 'JOKER' stomach tattoo.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME, CLOWN?!" she shouted, clearly assuming the worst. "Where the fuck are my clothes?! Why am I naked under this shirt?! Why is my fucking hair wet?! Where is my -"

Her shouting stopped, her eyes bulging in shock as she caught sight of her purple hair. She had been running her hands through it, threading her fingers through the damp locks and pulling them into her line of sight to examine them when she noticed the change in color.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO ME?!" She was hysterical, finally noticing the white color of her skin in contrast to her purple hair.

"Jesus," he muttered, watching as she dissolved into a fit of angry tears and scratched at her skin in an attempt to see if the white color was paint – or so he assumed.

"I don't understand," she cried, becoming increasingly alarmed the more she scratched and nothing happened. "I don't – why am I like this? Joker – _how_ – what happened to me?" Her voice was cracked at this point, a strangled sob ripping its way out of her as her anger dissipated into fear and anxiety.

He decided to take the risk and approached her, nudging the dogs away as he pulled her into his arms. She was crying hysterically at this point, her breathing labored and her heart slamming so hard in her chest that he felt it through her skin. He pulled her close to him, gently cradling the back of her head as she cried into his shoulder with one hand, the other rubbing her back. "You jumped into a vat of chemicals, remember?" his voice came out in a growl despite his best efforts to swallow down his rage at the memory. "The same one that turned me into what I am."

She said nothing. It wasn't like she even could – she was in the midst of a full-blown nervous breakdown. He decided to fill in the blanks for her, hoping it might calm her down. "I jumped in after you and you screamed at me, then you did the most stupid fucking thing I've ever seen – you flipped yourself and Harleen over the edge of the vat and you crashed into the fucking floor, cracking your head open. Of course, while you were playing hero, you had angled yourself so you'd take the brunt of the fall and shield Harleen from it. _She _is fine, awake and alive downstairs, though she's been changed_, _too." He was scowling, his eyes flashing with his fury.

"I got you and Harleen back here with some help from Johnny and the boys." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he anticipated the beating she was about to unleash on him. "I brought you up here to the apartment, ran a bath, and got you in it. Your clothes were mostly dissolved anyway – believe me, there wasn't much left. That's why you're in a t-shirt and naked underneath. I cleaned you up in the tub and put you to bed when I was done."

"You took my clothes off..." she began in an icy tone, pulling her head up to glare at him, "and you... you _washed _me? You took my clothes off and you **touched my naked, unconscious body?!**"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," he seethed, rolling his eyes at her. "You were covered in chemicals and your clothes were _dissolving, _Raven! What the fuck else was I supposed to do, let you sleep in a puddle of acid?! I had to get it off you! I wasn't fucking _molesting_ you!"

"Gee, thanks for bathing me, it really made a _huge_ difference!" she was shouting, fresh tears leaking from her eyes as she brandished her white hands in front of him. "LOOK AT ME!"

"Fuck it," he sighed, releasing her and standing up. "Rest as long as you need to, I'll leave you alone." He made his way to the bedroom door and stopped before he walked out, looking over his shoulder at her. "No need to go through the window this time. Johnny will show you to your car when you want to go."

"FUCK YOU!" she screamed, and he flinched as something hard slammed into the door as he closed it behind him. He didn't go anywhere, he didn't even move from the door. He slid down to the floor, leaning back against the door and stretching out his legs, tugging at his hair in his frustration. He decided to try and wait out Raven's temper, figuring it was better than risking being cornered by Harleen.

_Hell, crawling around in the sewers with raw meat stapled to me and a sign saying "Special delivery for Killer Croc" hanging around my neck would be more fun and a safer bet than dealing with Harleen god damn Quinzel._

* * *

He wasn't on the floor too long before Raven's blood curdling scream nearly deafened him. He swiftly got to his feet and stormed into the bedroom, following the sound of her cursing to the bathroom where he found her staring at her reflection in horror. She swiveled around to face him and stormed up to him, slapping him so hard his head snapped to the side. He caught her wrist in his hand, clenching his jaw as he slowly turned his head back to face her. "Are you done?" he hissed, his grip on her wrist tightening. His eyes were darkening and he felt the madness beginning to creep in, tempted to let it take over for once.

"Oh, are you mad, J? Have _you _had a rough day? Do you have stitches in _your _head? Did _you _look in a mirror to discover a fucking MONSTER looking back at you today?!" She was wriggling in his grip, trying to free her wrist, but he didn't let up.

"Do you _really_ think I always looked like this?" his voice was a low growl. "I know _exactly _how you're feeling right now, because it happened to _me. _The difference between us is that I was shoved in that vat as a child – you jumped in _willingly." _

"I JUMPED IN BECAUSE YOU THREW THE DOCTOR IN THERE WITH HER WRISTS ZIP TIED TOGETHER!"

He put his free hand up, warning her to shut up. "Yell at me one more time, Raven, and both of us are gonna get hurt."

He finally released her wrist and she glared at him as bruises began to blossom on her freakishly white skin. "I fucking hate you. I hate you so much," she whispered, backing away from him and making her way back to the mirror, studying her purple hair, white skin, aqua green eyes and permanently burgundy lips.

Just as the madness was about to take control, he forced it down. He stalked up to her, spinning her around to face him. "That's a lie," he declared, looking her in the eye.

She glared at him. "No, it's not," she countered, backing away from him.

"Prove it." It was a challenge, and he knew she'd take it – that's just who she was. He also knew she'd fail in the task – she loved him, he knew it in his heart. He put up his finger, a signal for her to wait, before exiting the bathroom. A few minutes later, he came back in with his gun in his hand. He loaded the clip in front of her, racking the slide and putting a bullet in the chamber, the safety off as he cocked the hammer back. He handed her the gun and stood still, arms at his sides, and looked her in the eye again. "You've told me you'll kill me more than once. Do it. If you _don't_ love me, and you really_ do _hate me, you'll do it."

She furrowed her brows, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of his t-shirt as she held his gun loosely in her right hand. "Fine," she said. "I've killed hundreds at this point, what's one more?"

He grinned at her, taunting her as she lifted the gun in her hand and aimed it at him. Her finger was to the side of the trigger, not yet curled around it, and he noticed it. "You sure you can do this, baby?" he whispered, his grin never once faltering as he stared at her.

"Are those your last words?" she drawled, moving her finger to rest lightly against the trigger.

"No."

She rolled her eyes, huffing dramatically. "Tick, tock, clown."

He laughed, stepping closer to her until the barrel of the gun was pressed into his chest, right where his heart was. He leaned his head down, cocking it to the side as he regarded her. "This is not something I want to say under such _ridiculous _circumstances."

"Knowing you, it's probably another ill-timed, inappropriate, shitty joke," she spat, keeping a firm grip on the gun.

"Oh, this isn't a joke," he replied coolly. "It's actually quite serious. Shoot me now, and you'll never know. Or, put the gun down and I'll tell you."

She shook her head, keeping the gun on him. He was silent, waiting for her to pull the trigger. Moments passed and it seemed like an eternity before he snarled and ripped the gun from her hand, carefully resetting the hammer and turning the safety back on. He tossed it behind him onto the bed before he descended upon her, grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her backwards into the vanity.

"You wanna hear a joke, baby?" he hissed, lowering his head and glaring right at her. "You acting like you could kill me. Didn't you slaughter your ex for doing the same exact thing? Putting a loaded gun to your head and threatening to shoot you? What do you think _I'm_ going to do the next time you play that game with me, Raven?"

She pushed at him, trying to shove him away from her, but he wouldn't budge. He slammed his hands into the mirror on either side of her head, cracking it and caging her in. "Just accept it," he whispered. "You love me, Raven. You could never kill me."

"Shut up," she muttered, refusing to look at him.

"Say it," he growled, bringing his face closer to hers.

"There's nothing to say!"

"I told you not to lie to me." His eyes flashed before he lowered his head to her throat, grazing his teeth over her pulse point. "Say it..." he repeated, giving her a moment to respond. She didn't say a word, so he bit her as hard as he could, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

"God dammit!" she yelled, trying to push him away again. He wouldn't budge and she finally looked at him, shooting him a scathing glare. He just laughed at her, keeping her caged in.

"Say it, and I'll let you go. _Say_ _it_, little bird." He kissed the corner of her mouth, using one hand to stroke her jaw with the tips of his fingers.

"No. Now get the hell out of my way, I have work to do." She pushed at his chest and he laughed, letting her go.

"Work? You must be brain damaged from that fall, you're not going anywhere." He leaned back against the vanity and watched her every move as she moved around the bathroom, filling the tub and laying out towels for her hair and her body. She glared at him over her shoulder, scowling.

"Am I a hostage here, clown?" she spat, adding Epsom salts to the tub. She hoped it would help with the awful pain and soreness coursing throughout her entire body.

He shook his head. "No, darling, but you can't go running around Gotham like some little vigilante with a head wound like that."

"You underestimate me, J. I'm fine," she argued, making her way out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, sorting through all the boxes full of her clothes. She finally found a box of lingerie, pulling out a purple bra and matching cheeky panties. These weren't hers, at least to her knowledge, and she turned around to face the Joker. "Uh... who do these belong to?"

"You."

"No... I wear mostly black, I don't own purple lingerie."

He rolled his eyes, striding up to her. He pointed at the box and looked her in the eye. "It's all brand new, doll face. See the tags?"

She looked into the box and sure enough, he was right. Everything was brand new, tags still attached, some items still wrapped in plastic.

"I don't get it."

He laughed, digging through the box and pulling out a purple corset with matching garters. "Wear this," he purred, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"You're disgusting," she huffed. She grabbed them anyway, trying to hide the small smile that crossed her face at the thought of brand new lingerie – _expensive_ lingerie. She loved wearing things like this, even if no one saw it, because it boosted her confidence and made her feel sexy and feminine. She always swore that good lingerie had magical properties. "Did you pick all of this out?"

He shrugged. "Went online and picked out all the things I want to see you in."

"You really know how to treat a lady," her voice was dripping with sarcasm and he grinned at her. She made her way over to a different set of boxes, rooting through them to try and find some clothes for the day. It took awhile, but she finally found a pair of black leggings, a charcoal grey v-neck t-shirt that reached mid-thigh, a pair of ankle socks and running shoes. "Perfect," she muttered, sauntering off towards the bathroom.

"Those don't look like bed clothes to me," Joker was right behind her, glaring at the back of her head.

"They're work clothes," she chirped, turning to face him.

He groaned, beyond tired of arguing with her, and crossed his arms. "I'll make you a deal," he drawled.

"I'm listening."

"I'll let you go to _'work' _today..." a malicious grin spread across his face and she rolled her eyes, motioning with her hand for him to get on with it. "_Only _if you let me accompany you. Just me, no goons, I promise."

"You're joking."

"I'm not," he wrapped his arms around her, swaying her slightly in his arms. "I need to make sure you're safe – you might have a concussion. Can't have you passing out on rooftops with weapons – Batman would have you back in Arkham in a heartbeat."

"I _have_ a partner, so to speak. I won't be by myself."

"Ah, yes, the guy you brought here when you rescued Tommy. He's not your boyfriend, is he? I don't think he'd appreciate my name tattooed on your chest..." He winked at her, tugging down the neckline of the t-shirt she was wearing to look at the tattoo once more. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to it.

"No, he's not my _boyfriend. _He's my best friend, and he helps me with my work load. That's all."

"I see. Let's give him the day off, shall we? Besides, I would love to see my little songbird in action."

"Oh my fucking god, fine! If it will make you shut up and get out so I can take a bath in peace, you can come with me today."

The Joker clapped his hands with glee, looking absolutely unhinged for a moment. "Excellent!" he shouted, showering her face with kisses.

"Fuck offffffff," she whined, trying to block his kisses. "Let me bathe!"

"Can't I join you?" he mock-pouted, slumping his shoulders. "We had such a nice bath last night! Of course, you were unconscious so you don't remember."

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"No, baby, I'm not. Please let me join you? Pretty, pretty, pretty _please_? I'll be good," he had swept her up in his arms and was dancing her around the bathroom, holding her close to him as he moved.

"Where the hell did this good mood come from? Half an hour ago, we were pretty close to killing each other."

"Hmm... let's see... oh! You're wearing the lingerie that I picked out for you today – my favorite one, too – you're letting me come to work with you... what else? Oh, yes! You're going to tell me you love me and you're going to let me take a bath with you." Before she could retort and ruin it, his lips crashed into hers and he swallowed her protests, pulling her closer to him.

She pushed weakly at his chest before giving in and kissing him back, letting herself get lost in him. She moved backwards, slowly and carefully, pulling him with her as she went. Once the back of her legs hit the tub, she broke the kiss, panting as she tried to catch her breath. "It's not fair when you do that," she scolded him.

He was as unapologetic as ever, smiling brightly at her. "You love it, songbird. Admit it – nobody has ever kissed you the way I do."

She rolled her eyes at him, turning to face the bathtub. She turned the water off and turned on the jets, smiling at the bubbles that filled the tub. She stiffened when she felt Joker's hands sliding under the t-shirt and up to her hips, holding her against him. "Do you remember the first time I kissed you?" he whispered into her ear. She shivered as his breath tickled the sensitive skin on her neck, leaning her head back against his chest. "Yes," she breathed.

"Do you remember what happened that night?"

She frowned, the memory hitting her like a ton of bricks. She quickly shut it out, wiping it from her mind and shook her head to clear it. "I do."

"Tell me, songbird."

"Officer Mack caught us – they put you in Solitary... for a _month_."

"Indeed." He leaned down and removed one of his hands from her hips to tug the t-shirt to the side, kissing each letter of his name on her chest. "Do you know what I thought about that entire time?"

She shook her head again and he kissed he smiled against her skin as he pressed soft kisses to her throat. "I thought about you, songbird. All day, every day. What did you do while I was gone?"

She shrugged, hoping he didn't notice the blush staining her cheeks. "I wrote... I drew pictures. I tried to sleep as much as I could outside of therapy. I read shitty books about psychology."

"Did you miss me?" He brushed her hair to the side and away from her neck, lightly grazing his teeth along her skin. She shivered again, instinctively tilting her head to the side to give him better access.

"Yes," she breathed, her eyes closed.

"I missed you too. Very, very much."

Her eyes snapped open at that, and she slowly turned to face him. "What?"

"Why are you always surprised when I tell you these things?" he asked her, absolutely serious. His brows were furrowed and he was frowning slightly, resting his hands on either side of her neck in a gentle yet possessive gesture.

"Because... you're classified as a psychopath, J. Psychopaths don't have emotions – psychopaths don't love, they don't care, they don't spend their time daydreaming about people. They murder people, they don't feel pain, and they sleep like babies at night."

"Do you think that's what I am?" he was genuinely curious, not angry, and she was relieved.

"I think you have three different personas, and I think one of them is a psychopath." She was being honest, and he knew it.

"The Madness," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"That's what you call it?" She looked up at him, cupping his face in her hands. "I call him 'Joker'. I have three names for your three personas."

"Do you?" he quirked a brow and smirked at her. "Will you tell me about them? I'd love to hear your theory... you always amaze me with your brilliant mind."

She smiled, a genuine smile, and nodded. "Sure."

"Will you tell me about them in the tub?" at her scathing look, he put his hands up in surrender. "I'm not trying to get fresh with you, I promise. I just want to relax with you and I want to help you – I know you're sore, I know you're bruised, and I just want to take care of you."

Her eyes pooled with tears and she looked afraid, causing him to back up a few steps. "That – _that_ reaction. What _is_ that?" It was a genuine, innocent question. "You were so angry that I saw you naked, despite the fact that you were covered in chemicals and needed to be washed off – if you weren't unconscious, I still would have had to help you, and you _know_ I didn't do it to be a pervert. You also got weird in the bathroom last night when you got dressed – you hid from me. After that, on the bathroom counter – you got weird on me again."

He kept his hands up as he stepped closer to her again, looking into her eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you, songbird, I promise. Is that what it is – is that why you cry? Are you scared that I'm going to..." he couldn't finish the question, letting his voice trail off. She flinched at the insinuation and sat on the edge of the tub, curling up into herself as much as she could in that position, as if trying to protect herself.

He watched her every movement, studying her facial expressions, body language, and the tremors that began in her hands and understanding hit him like a throat punch. "Who?" he snarled, his eyes darkening. "Who, and when? Where do they live? Tell me and they're dead, baby. I'll find them."

He read her file a million times – he read about the 13 years of abuse she endured at the hands of different men. He knew she had been punched, kicked, body slammed to the ground, dragged, pulled by her hair, strangled, slapped, thrown, bitten, and even hit at close range with blunt objects. He knew she had fought for her life on several occasions – he could recall off the top of his head 3 different men she had stabbed in self defense when she had been cornered. With that said, he hadn't seen anything in her file about sexual abuse or assault. Of course, he had her records from Arkham that also contained all her records from the other place she had been locked in when she was 14, notes from her 4 trips to the Crisis Center, and notes from the three page long list of therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists she had seen over the years, accompanied by a long list of medications they had force fed her throughout the years, most of them having the opposite effects due to multiple misdiagnoses. This meant that he only knew as much as they did – and they only knew as much as Raven would allow them to.

He was amused to see that once she was around 16, she stopped talking, indulging in reverse-psychology instead and trolling these professionals. He read a few pages from different doctors and professionals that were frustrated with her because they wouldn't get a word out before she'd start throwing one word answers at them in order of the questions they had prepared to ask her. She had actually memorized the first consult questionnaire all the doctors used and it infuriated them, especially since her one-word answers were all belligerent, ridiculous, outlandish lies. After that, she'd say 'are we done here?' and then sit calmly in her seat, mindful of her body language and expressions, staring down the doctor until the session was over, giving absolutely nothing away. She made more of them uncomfortable than they made her. He sighed. It made sense that if she suffered some kind of sexual trauma, she wouldn't share it with any of those assholes.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts and looked at her, still hunched at the edge of the tub and looking terrified, as though he'd hurt her... and then it hit him. He _had _hurt her, right in this very room – in that same exact tub. The madness had taken over and he'd roughly pulled her in by her arms and dragged her out by her hair, dropping her harshly on the floor. Then, he had thrown her into the tub while she was in the middle of a blackout, shocking and almost drowning her... and he had carved that J into her in here, hadn't he?

"Oh, fuck," he whispered. He carefully moved towards her, approaching her with the same caution and apprehension one would exercise when cornering a rabid animal, and kept his hands up where she could see them. The closer he got, the harder she shook, and he felt his heart splinter again, searing pain ripping through his chest. He stopped moving, lowering his hands slowly until his arms were resting by his sides, and he relaxed his posture, trying not to look too intimidating – well, not more than usual.

"I'll be in the bedroom, Raven. Take your time, there's no rush. Whenever you're ready, I'll be in the bedroom waiting for you. If you don't want me there when you're done, you just text me and let me know and I will make myself scarce, okay? I'd like to talk to you... when you're ready, I mean. No rush, no pressure." She seemed to relax a little at his words and he forced a small smile to his lips, trying to reassure her. He slowly backed away, trying to seem as non-threatening as possible, and quickly made his way through the door, closing it behind him. He ran his hands through his hair, feeling rage surging through him as he thought about how many men had hurt her – physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally – and he had become one of them. He was furious with himself for what he did to her that night. He remembered being angry about her abandoning him during the escape, and he remembered yelling that she ran away, and after that – well, he only remembered bits and pieces. He had hurt her really bad, just as he had threatened to. He felt himself starting to lose control of his temper, so he made his way to his closet, pulling on a pair of black sweatpants and sneakers, forgoing a shirt.

* * *

He made his way into the club area and pulled his gun from his waistband, pointing it at the ceiling and emptying the clip. A chandelier came crashing down, smashing to pieces all over the floor, and the glass ceiling itself shattered, raining shards down on him. He didn't care, he stood there, letting the glass come down on him, _wanting _to feel the pain since he obviously deserved it.

"**JOHNNY**!" he screamed, bloody, panting, wild-eyed, and with glass shards stuck in his skin at all different angles in all different areas of his body.

Johnny walked into the room, trying not to react to the scene in front of him and the state of the Joker in favor of NOT being tossed into a ravine. "Yes, boss?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Joker's.

"Get me a pad and a pen. I have a list of shit I need you to go get _immediately_."

* * *

_****IMPORTANT INFORMATION/TRIGGER WARNING/BACKGROUND INFORMATION/EXPLANATIONS****_

**I want to mention that my OC, Raven, is based off of me:**

Her story, her history, her past is all the same as mine with some creative tweaks to suit the story line and her slightly different personality. Yes, her experiences with domestic violence, sexual assault, drug abuse, alcoholism, and mental illness all stem from my **very real **experiences. I find it therapeutic to talk and write about the things I've endured, especially when it helps other women come to terms with their own experiences or to feel less alone in their trauma. It's easy to fall into that rabbit hole of trauma and fear, succumbing to the abuse and believing that you are worthless, alone, and that no one will ever believe you, help you, or want you. It's also hard to get away from abusers – and_ live_.

Raven's ex, Damian, who tried to kill her is based off of a **real** ex I have that really did try to blow a hole in my head three times, on top of beating me and cheating on me. We were together for two years, and when I left him, I had to run away to a different state and move in with new friends that were wonderful and kind enough to take me in and hide me from him. I was away for a year, came back to my hometown, and my ex stalked me everywhere I went for another 3 years. He would threaten to kill my friends if they didn't tell him where I was, he would have his friends stalk me and call him whenever I showed up somewhere, and he'd show up and we'd get into fist fights in the parking lot of whatever establishment we were at because he wouldn't let me leave. He was 6'2", 196 pounds and always had a loaded gun on him, and I was 5'2", 103 pounds and only had my hands and a shitty pocket knife. He was such a good liar that he painted me as the abuser in the relationship and made everyone believe that not only was I "insane, violent and abusive", but he also painted me as a liar and a cheater. For 3 long years I was approached by people that called me a liar, a whore, and rubbed in my face what a shit person I am and how great my ex was. Men wouldn't approach me or date me, because "they heard through the grapevine that I'm 'fucking insane'", and it wasn't until I was in my car trying to leave the bar, literally reversing out of a parking spot, when my ex reached through my car window and grabbed me by my throat, choking me and trying to snatch me out of my car as it was rolling backwards that the same people that called me a liar, called me crazy, and believed that I was the abusive one finally realized that it was all bullshit and my ex was basically Ike fucking Turner. It took him beating me in a parking lot in front of everyone we knew, all our friends and people we went to school with, for people to finally understand what I endured all those years. He wasn't even the worst one.

**These stories will be told in this story – if you cannot handle content like that, I suggest you not read this story at all. If you've been through ANY kind of abuse at all, my heart goes out to you and you are more than welcome to message me and we can hash shit out all day and night – I'm here for all of you.**

**Yes, **I have endured **13 years** of physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse – I just turned 28 on 7/23, so think about that for a minute. **Yes**, my father really did die – he was 60, it was quite unexpected, he died in my arms on my sister's birthday and I have never been the same since – he was my best friend. **Yes, **Raven's family members and friends will be based off of my real family members and friends, with their names changed. **Yes, **some of the names of these men from Raven's past will be real names, others will be fabricated. You won't know which are real and which are fake.

**Yes, I suffer from PTSD, Chronic Depression, Social Anxiety, Severe Anxiety, OCD, ADHD, Seasonal Depressive Disorder, Paranoia, and 'Trauma'. Yes, **I have been locked away on a funny farm. **Yes, **I was a guinea pig for so many different meds since I was 13 years old that I can't even remember half of them.** Yes, **I was misdiagnosed 3 times in my life, leading to medications that made me sick, made me suicidal, made me homicidal, and some even nearly killed me – sending me to the ER for stomach pumps and fluids.

If any of you are confused or having trouble following Raven's hot/cold personality and feelings, or my portrayal of the Joker and his three personas, here is a short snippet on my (keep in mind my myriad of mental illnesses that definitely don't get along with each other) thought process and concepts for their characters:

**Raven** is a nearly exact version of my real self. I suffer from many different mental illnesses and disorders that don't play well with others, especially not each other, so I'm constantly at war with myself, constantly confused, constantly forgetting things, constantly changing my mind, and I'm constantly coming up with a million different ideas, scenes, and scenarios that I tweak and change at least 6 times every time I write a chapter. Raven is traumatized. Raven's 'lack of emotions' and inability to feel is a **real** thing, and it stems from trauma. For instance, I had an ex 2.5 years ago who is a narcissist and "recovering" drug addict. He fucked my life and my head up so bad that I blamed myself for everything that happened, even if I wasn't even a part of or there for the incident, and believed that I just wasn't good enough and wasn't doing enough. After leaving him, for a year and a half I literally felt nothing when it came to people. Men that I would've found attractive, or had been attracted to before, didn't even phase me. I wanted nothing to do with anyone – not men, not my friends, not my family. I was on autopilot – wake up, get ready, walk the dog, go to work, work all day, go home, walk and feed the dog, maybe feed myself, shower, walk the dog again, go to sleep. Rinse, repeat. Men would kiss or touch me and I literally felt nothing – I remember going to my primary care doctor and asking if I had nerve damage. I went to my gynocologist and changed my birth control, thinking maybe my hormones were off kilter. I went to my psychiatrist, thinking more adderall would do the trick. Finally, I went to my therapist, and she explained that nothing was physically wrong with me – it's just that I had shut down. Subconsciously, I was not allowing myself to be vulnerable or weak – I had put up walls so high that I shut myself out of my own heart and mind. I was just existing. Nothing excited me, nothing made me mad, nothing upset me, I didn't cry, I didn't even feel bored. I'd just go through the motions, and when I was home I'd stare at the walls until I fell asleep, completely void of thoughts and emotions. It was hard to get past that. **So, Raven is in the stage of trauma where she's starting to feel again**, but she is terrified to because she never dealt with the things that happened to her and is terrified that everyone is going to hurt her – which is why she is going to be infuriating for the Joker for awhile until he can prove to her that she is **safe **with him – physically, emotionally, and mentally.

She will be cold to him, she will be detached and distant, she will run from him and push him away as hard as she can to try and force him to leave, and she will have nervous breakdowns whenever things get too intimate and she is starting to succumb to her feelings.

She will also succumb to those feelings at times, unable to resist the Joker's affection because it's what she craves, and she will always come back to him because he _does _make her feel safe at times. She will constantly crave him, want him, and lust after him, and she definitely loves him, so there **will be **seemingly 'random lemons' that aren't really random – they'll be happening in those moments when Raven is feeling safe and her trauma subsides for short periods.

**Joker's three personas are also based off of me, which I thought would be a fun thing to do with his character **because despite him being classified mostly as a psychopath, he _does _have the ability to feel love, anger, sadness, compassion, and happiness.

I've always loved the portrayals of the Joker done by Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and now Jared Leto. I love how different they all are, how eccentric they all are, and how utterly enthralling, enticing, yet creepy and frightening they all are.

I like to think of the Joker in my story, though based on Jared Leto's portrayal of the Joker in Suicide Squad, as a man with three different sides to him. In my own personal life, I have several different personalities – no, I am not diagnosed with split or multi personality disorders. What I mean is, I am different every hour, every day, and it's because of the myriad of mental illness constantly waging war in my brain.

**Persona 1 – 'J': **J is the warmer, more affectionate side of Joker that is in tune with his feelings and is more rational-minded, open, and honest. This is the side of the Joker that is sentimental and affectionate with Raven, trying to earn her trust and her commitment to him. This is the persona that comforts Raven, wipes her tears, tends to her wounds, holds her as she cries, and will show her and tell her just how much he loves and needs her. He is the happy medium between the psychopathic side (**'Joker')** that would hurt her and frighten her.

**Persona 2 – 'Mister J': **Mister J is the balance between 'Joker' and 'J'. Mister J is the more rational, well spoken, methodical, reasonable version of the psychopathic Joker. He's calmer, less unpredictable, but still all business. This is the version of the Joker that sits in the VIP booth and watches over his club, goes to business meetings, deals with other criminals and villains, and handles his henchmen. This persona is the one that is capable of talking out a disagreement, but might decide to just shoot first and ask questions later.

**Persona 3 – 'Joker': **Joker is the side of the Joker that is unpredictable, dangerous, irrational, temperamental, violent, emotionless, reckless, and ruthless. This is the version of the Joker that will purposely set people up in situations where they are forced to do or say something that displeases him in order to entertain himself before he kills them. This is the version of the Joker that abuses Raven and frightens her, the version that 'J' and 'Mister J' refer to as 'The Madness' and always try to keep dormant when dealing with Raven. This is the version of him that almost drowned her, carved his initial into her chest, goaded her into a blackout rage for his own entertainment, and punishes her however he sees fit with no regard for her safety or her well-being for the slightest of things (which, if we're being honest, is the truest version of the Joker if the comics are anything to go by – he really is the epitome of an abusive man).

I hope this clears things up for everyone. One thing I hate in a story is inconsistency, sporadic plots and story lines, and contrast. Things will all come together eventually – but we've gotta get through several obstacles and turmoil first ;) Bear with me, folks! As always, I hope you guys enjoy. I'm extremely excited with this story and have tons of ideas and plans for it and I'm constantly writing away every day, getting wrapped up in it myself. I appreciate the reviews, the messages, the favorites and the follows! You guys are dope! I'm open to constructive criticism, questions, suggestions, ideas, etc. Don't be afraid to message me :)

_**"I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it."**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I don't own or take credit for anything – except my OC's.

**Author's Note:** If you haven't yet, please read the Author's Note posted at the end of Chapter 5 for some answers and insight into the background and inspiration for this story.

Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites! :)

* * *

****WARNING: Raven's name will be changing in this chapter and will be different from now on, so be prepared. LEMON AHEAD! Enjoy!****

* * *

After he gave Johnny several different lists of items to pick up and errands to run and pulled all of the glass shards out of his flesh, he made his way back to his apartment, cautiously entering the bedroom in case she was in there. She wasn't. He heard the shower water running and crept up to the bathroom door, raising his fist to knock when he heard it – she was _singing. _He leaned against the door, pressing his ear to it and sighing as he listened to her voice over the water.

"_I've missed your calls for months it seems,_

_Don't realize how mean I can be,_

_'Cause I can sometimes treat the people _

_That I love like jewelry,_

_'Cause I can change my mind each day,_

_I didn't mean to try you on,_

_But I still know your birthday and your mother's favorite song._

_So I'm sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry that I can't believe _

_That anybody ever really starts to fall in love with me,_

_Sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry I could be so blind,_

_Didn't mean to leave you and all of the things that we had behind."_

Joker slowly, carefully, and quietly opened the door and made his way inside the bathroom. The shower was full of steam and the glass door was foggy, so he knew she wouldn't see him as he made his way to the vanity and sat down in the chair, listening closely to her as she sang at the top of her lungs. He heard her voice break on that last line and his chest tightened, realizing she was crying.

"_I run away when things are good,_

_And never really understood_

_The way you laid your eyes on me_

_In ways that no one ever could_

_And so it seems I broke your heart_

_My ignorance has struck again,_

_I failed to see it from the start and tore you open 'til the end._

_And I'm sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry that I can't believe_

_That anybody ever really starts to fall in love with me,_

_Sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry I could be so blind,_

_Didn't mean to leave you and all of the things that we had behind._

_And someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_But someone isn't me._

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_But someone isn't me..."_

He carefully took his sneakers and socks off, along with his sweatpants, and neatly placed them on the floor beside him before slowly making his way towards the shower. He stood in only his boxer briefs, leaning against the wall beside the shower door and listening closely to her, a frown marring his pale face. His heart hurt, realizing she was singing and crying about _him_. No, he didn't know the song or the artist, but the lyrics hit a little too close to home. If the words of the song, her broken voice and tears were enough to hurt him and cause him heartache, he couldn't imagine nor fathom how badly this song broke _her _inside. The last verse caused stabbing pains in his chest and his throat tightened, his eyes burning with tears that wanted to escape. He shook his head, blinking them back and regaining his composure as he prepared to open the door.

"_Sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry that I can't believe_

_That anybody ever really starts to fall in love with me,_

_Sorry to my Unknown Lover,_

_Sorry I could be so blind,_

_Didn't mean to leave you and all of the things that we had behind..._

_And someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_But someone isn't me._

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_Someone will love you,_

_But someone isn't me."_

He couldn't take it anymore, he slowly slid open the shower door and got in, slowly reaching out and grasping her by her hips. She screamed, whipping around and brandishing a bottle of shampoo to hit him with. He put his hands up in surrender and backed off a little, careful to maintain eye contact and not stare at her naked form. "It's just me," he whispered, keeping his voice even and low. Her bottom lip was quivering and her cheeks were flushed, and though he couldn't see them through the droplets of water, he knew she was still weeping. He carefully approached her again, taking the shampoo bottle from her hand and placing it down on the shelf. He pressed a soft, gentle kiss to her lips as he wrapped his arms securely around her, holding her close to him. She squirmed and whimpered, pushing weakly at his chest to get away but he wouldn't let go, he just held her closer. "I'm not going to hurt you, Raven," he whispered in her ear, hoping to calm her. He raised a hand to her hair and stroked her wet purple locks, rocking her very slowly from side to side.

"What the fuck are you doing in here?" her voice was low, cracked, and raspy. She stopped fighting him and relaxed into his hold, too exhausted from her meltdown to fight him. "I heard you," he whispered. "I needed the first aid kit, so I was going to knock and see if you'd let me in to grab it, but then I heard you singing... and crying." He pulled back just enough to look down into her face, examining her red-rimmed puffy eyes and her still quivering bottom lip. "What was that song, little bird?"

"It's called 'Sorry'," she mumbled, "it's by Halsey... I like her music."

He nodded, recalling the lyrics once more and mulling over them before speaking again. "Why were you singing that particular one?" He cupped her face and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, daring to press another soft kiss to her lips. "It was heartbreaking, little bird."

She shrugged. "Just felt like it," she muttered, looking down at her feet. "How much did you hear?"

"The whole thing," he confirmed. "Is that how you feel about me?"

He tipped her head up gently with his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Is it all true?"

She bit her bottom lip as it quivered and her breath hitched. He sighed, pulling her back into his arms. "The only person I want to love me, songbird, is _you."_

She didn't say anything, and neither did he. He just held her like that for a few minutes, trying to console her. Her head was against his chest, and he knew she was listening to his heartbeat. "Are you finished in here?" he asked. She nodded against his chest and he reached behind her to turn off the water. He stepped out first, gathering three towels in his arms and handing two to her – one for her hair and one for her body. He wrapped one around himself, wet boxer briefs and all, and kept his eyes off of her as she wrapped herself up. When she was wrapped in her towels, he carefully picked her up bridal style in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed before crawling over her, sitting back on his knees and looking into her eyes. She was quiet, watching him, waiting to see what he would do. Without a word, he leaned down and kissed her, soft and gentle like before, and let her take control if she wanted to.

She returned the kiss and deepened it, slipping her tongue into his mouth. He smiled, massaging her tongue with his own and taking control of the kiss. He slid a hand under her neck, the other stroking the sensitive skin of her throat and her shoulder, careful not to go any lower than that. She caught his hand with her own and he expected her to pull his hand away, but was surprised when she moved it to the split in her towel, motioning for him to take it off her. He broke the kiss and put his hands on either side of her head, holding himself up above her. "Raven... are you sure?" She nodded, biting her lip. Tears came to her eyes and he shook his head, sitting back up. "No, baby. Not like this. I don't want you to do it because you feel like you have to, or because you think that's all I want."

"That's not my name," she whispered. He gave her a puzzled look, cocking his head to the side. "What?"

"Raven. That's not my name anymore." She pulled the towel off of her wet purple hair and pointed at it. "See? No black hair anymore..." A tear slipped down her cheek and she looked hurt and miserable at the thought of her old appearance being completely gone. He leaned down and kissed her again, tangling his hands in her hair. "You're as beautiful with purple hair as you were with black hair, my little bird. I loved you when you had black hair, olive skin, and green eyes, and I love you with your purple hair, pale skin and aqua eyes. Nothing has changed. You're still absolutely breathtaking to me, you're still beautiful to me – nothing would ever change that."

He didn't realize what he'd said as he looked into her eyes and saw them widen, her expression one of pure shock. "What did I say?" he asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow at her. "Why is your face like that?"

"You said... you told me... you..." she was stumbling over her words, and when she began to try and speak again she stuttered violently, causing her to curse and shake her head. "God dammit, I hate stuttering," she said shakily, looking absolutely perturbed. She covered her face with her hands and sighed, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "You said you love me."

His eyes widened and his jaw slackened as he replayed his words over in his head and realized he did, indeed, say that – in a roundabout way, of course.

He ignored the way his heart began to slam in his chest, the fluttering in his stomach, the tingling in his skin, the chills running down his spine and the way his hands went numb and leaned forward, moving her hands away from her face and looking her right in the eye. "How do you feel about that?" he was terrified of her answer, but he needed to know.

She burst into tears and he sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Look at me, baby. Come on, look at me." He held her face in his hands and waited for her to open her eyes. "I love you, songbird." He held her in place as she tried to turn away from him – to hide from him. "No," he said sternly, "don't you dare hide from me. Look at me." She did as he bade and he took a deep breath. "I _love _you," he emphasized the word for good measure, "and I've loved you since Arkham, since the first time I kissed you – maybe since the first time I ever saw you, now that I think about it. I just need you to know that, little bird. I love you, and I won't hurt you – not again."

With that, he released her and stood from the bed, dropping the towel around his waist and revealing his damp boxer briefs. He made his way over to the closet, picking out a comfortable outfit for the day, hoping she'd still let him come work with her like she had agreed to earlier. He saw out of the corner of his eye that she had gotten off of the bed, heading back into the bathroom to get dressed. She locked the door behind her and he sighed, finally deciding on a black, form fitting t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and black running sneakers. He figured this would be the best thing to wear since it closely mirrored what she wore. If they were climbing rooftops today, he may as well be comfortable, though he never liked to leave the house without a suit on, or at least his purple crocodile skin jacket. He resigned himself to his bummy appearance and the fact that he'd be going out in public this way and grabbed a black baseball cap and his black Holbrook XL style Oakley sunglasses. He couldn't hide his pale skin, grills, red lips, or even some of his green hair, but this would have to do. He put on his jewelry anyways, definitely not wanting to leave it behind – he felt naked without it, in a bad way. That reminded him of one of the errands he sent Johnny on – he knew Raven's mother wasn't home and was at work, so Johnny should be able to break in her house, get what Joker ordered him to get, and get back out quickly and easily. He had specifically told Johnny NOT to break the door or leave any evidence of the break in. Just the usual, normal lock pick would do. He didn't want to scare Raven's mother – even if she was shitty to Raven 90% of the time.

As if on cue, Raven stepped out of the bathroom in her long charcoal v-neck shirt, black leggings and black running shoes, with half her hair pulled back in a clip, her RayBan prescription 'bug-eyed' (as she called them) sunglasses on and a fresh coat of burgundy lipstick on her lips. "Let's roll," she said confidently, heading towards the bedroom door.

"Wait." He held his hand up, stopping her. "Your guns and your holster are in my armory. Give me a minute, Ra- uh, baby."

"Jester," she said. He made his way through the closet and pulled his blazers apart on the rack to reach the touch pad behind them, entering the code and opening the wall to reveal his personal weapon armory. He pulled her guns and their holster out along with her tactical belt, and two of his favorite gold-plated and engraved hand guns. He came back out, leveling her with a curious look. "Jester?" he asked, holding out her guns, holster, and tactical belt out to her.

She took them, shrugging on her holster and slipping her guns snugly into it before fastening her belt around her waist. Her eyebrows furrowed at the heavier feel of it and she looked at him questioningly, but answered his question first. "If I'm going to look like a fucking clown, my new name may as well be Jester," she said dryly, her nose wrinkled.

He sighed, running his hands through his hair and smoothing it back before he put on his baseball cap. "I told you, baby, you're gorgeous. Also – open the pouches on your belt. I left a few surprises in there for you, figuring they'd come in handy."

She rolled her eyes but did as he said and opened the pouches on her belt, pulling out a black titanium butterfly knife with "Songbird" engraved on both sides of the handle, carefully placed so that they were opposite each other and not running the same way. She pulled out a brand new garrote, two new 20 round magazines for her guns, and a matte black spring-action pocket knife with a stainless steel, black matte coated 4" blade. She looked carefully at the smooth part of the handle, noticing a jester engraved in it to match the one tattooed on the Joker's chest. "Good thing you changed your name, huh?" he asked, coming closer to her. He held his hand out and she placed the folded knife in it. "Spring-action – easier that way," he pointed at the button that looked like a screw by the tip of the handle. "This," he pointed to the tip at the end of the handle, "is a window breaker that doubles as a screw driver, and this," he pointed to a curve in the handle with a thin, sharp blade hidden inside, "is a seat belt cutter. Keep this on you at all times, belt or not."

She nodded dumbly. She already knew what all of those things were, but he wouldn't know that. He'd only ever seen her work with guns. It had been so long since she had any knives, and the kinds he had given her were her favorites. She used to have tons of them, especially butterfly knives, when she was younger but her dad took them all from her – she used to self mutilate, and her dad thought she was using them for that. The truth was, she wasn't – she was using those on OTHER people. When it came to cutting herself, she used the kitchen knives – the pain was worse with those. Those were dark times.

"Thank you," she mumbled, taking back the knife and tucking everything back into the pouches in an order she'd remember when she needed them. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Anything for you," he said softly. She just nodded against his chest, biting back tears that threatened to spill. "You'll have many, many, many more surprises when we get back later," he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to her throat. "Let's go, my little Jester," he reached his hand out and she took it, giving him a small smile as he grinned at her.

"You're really going out in public like that?" she was chuckling as she took in his bummy outfit, his designer sunglasses, his baseball cap, and all his usual jewelry draped around him. "I can't exactly do inconspicuous, but I can try – and be comfortable while doing so."

She could sense just how uncomfortable he actually was and she smiled at him. "I appreciate you trying to be incognito for me... I know you like to be flamboyant and belligerent as fuck. I also know you are not enjoying this at all."

He laughed. "I can deal with it if it means I get to go to work with you, baby."

* * *

They made their way downstairs and 'Jester' laughed at all the strange looks the henchmen sported as the Joker stepped into the main foyer with his sweatpants, t-shirt, running shoes, baseball cap and sunglasses on. He was still intimidating and threatening even in his little incognito disguise and barked orders at the men to get back to work before leading Jester to the door. As soon as they were in her car, the Joker took a moment to look around at the interior. "This is an old car," he mused, playing with the real cigarette lighter and running his hands along the smooth dash and plush seats. "Mm-hmm," Jester agreed, scrolling through her phone and finding the song her dad dedicated to her before plugging in her phone. The song always made her cry her eyes out, even when he was alive, but since his death it didn't make her cry anymore, she still sang her lungs out to it every time it played but these days she smiled, fondly reminiscing about her 'Big Poppa' every time she heard it. She put the car in Drive and glanced down at Joker's crotch before shooting him an evil grin. "You know what they say about guys in gray sweatpants, don't you?" she mused. He gave her a confused look, raising his eyebrows. "I do not," he answered.

She pointed at his crotch. "We, as in females, can see your dick print in them." She winked at him and giggled, pulling out of the lot with the song paused so she could fuck with Joker a little more before she began blaring the song and singing like a maniac. He looked down at his crotch, confused, and back at her. "I don't get it..."

"So, your dick print is basically the outline of your dick in your pants. For some reason, gray sweatpants accentuate this, so women always look at men wearing them to see the dick print. The thing is, it's only big dicks that show through them. The point is -" she looked him right in the face as she spoke, still grinning impishly, "we can see exactly how big and thick you are through your pants, clear as day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

His eyes widened and he looked down at his crotch again, not seeing anything. "You're sitting down, babes," she laughed. "Bet you'll think twice about getting out of this car now."

He shot her an irritated look and she laughed, finally playing the song and cranking it as loud as it could go and belting out the lyrics at the top of her lungs. To her utter joy and amusement, the Joker smiled as he watched her sing, his arm hanging out the open window.

"_She's got a smile that it seems to me,_

_Reminds me of childhood memories,_

_Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky,_

_Now and then when I see her face,  
She takes me away to that special place,_

_And if I'd stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry._

_Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet child of mine,_

_Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Sweet child of mine,_

_She's got eyes of the bluest skies,_

_As if they thought of rain,_

_I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain,_

_Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place_

_Where as a child I'd hide,_

_And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by._

_Whoa-oh-oh! Sweet child of mine,_

_Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Sweet child of mine..." _

She lowered the music and pulled into a gas station, desperate for caffeine and a cigarette. She had always been a smoker, but Arkham had clearly put a stop to that. Since she'd been out, she'd been smoking again, and she realized she hadn't had any cigarettes in a couple of days. "What are we doing here?" Joker asked, looking around with his eyes narrowed. "I need some kind of caffeine and I need cigarettes," she said plainly, leaning over his lap and pulling open the glove box. He groaned, running his hand down her spine as she bent over. "God dammit, Jester, don't do that to me," he growled. "Unless you want to fuck me..."

She giggled, the vibration causing him to stiffen in his pants. "Jester..." he snarled, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck as she took her sweet time pulling cash out of the pages of the car manual. "I mean it," he threatened.

She still didn't respond or move, instead leaning even farther over, the purple of her panties poking out of her leggings at her lower back. "Oh, for Christ's sake! Get your fucking smokes and caffeine and get your sweet ass back in this car!" His voice was laced with desire and it caused her panties to dampen with arousal. "Sure thing, Mister J," she said, her voice silky and sultry to tease him. She giggled as he glared at her, getting out of the car and heading into the gas station. She picked up a pack of her usual menthol cigarettes, a pack of Marlboro reds, two lighters with The Godfather logo on them, and two cranberry flavored 16 oz. Redbulls. She ignored the strange look the cashier shot her as he took in her purple hair and freakishly pale skin and she smirked at him, collecting everything off the counter and making her way back to the car, making sure to put an extra swing in her hips as she moved. She noticed other men staring at her outside as she made her way to the car and laughed, purposely teasing them as she opened her driver side door and bending over, with her ass out of the car, to hand Joker the Marlboro reds she got for him, one of the lighters, and a Redbull. The teasing wasn't funny anymore when a man's voice rang out, his words causing the Joker to throw off his cap and sunglasses and pull his gun as he got out of the car.

The man was standing at a gas pump and had cat-called Jester, whistling at her and saying "hey, baby" a bunch of times and she had been ignoring him. Apparently he didn't like that so his next words, clear and loud, were "Hey BITCH, I'm fuckin' talking to you!"

He shut up immediately, his face paling as Joker swiftly exited the car, stalking towards him with his gun cocked and loaded. Everyone else at the gas station stopped, frozen in terror, and Jester sighed, rolling her eyes. "Come again? I didn't hear you that first time," Joker snarled, glaring right into the man's eyes as he pointed his gun between the man's eyes.

"I didn't say nothin'," the man said, quaking in fear. Joker laughed, the signature sound earning him cries of terror and whimpers from onlookers who could do nothing but watch as the scene unfolded.

"I _hate_ liars!" Joker spat, a murderous look on his face. "Tell me what you said, or I'll fucking kill you here and now."

"J, let it go, it doesn't matter," Jester's voice was close, but he refused to take his eyes off the man in front of him to look for her. She came close to him, wrapping her arms around him from behind and stroking his muscles through his shirt. "Come on, J. Get in the car with me and let's go to work."

He wanted to moan and close his eyes as she caressed his skin but didn't, keeping the murderous look on his face as he lowered his gun very slowly. "Okay, baby. Let's go to work," he said softly, still not taking his eyes off of the man in front of him who had wet his pants, much to Joker's amusement. He made to turn around and walk after Jester, waiting for the man's sigh of relief to escape him before swiftly turning back around and shooting him right between the eyes, laughing as the man's body hit the ground in a heap. "Lovely day, isn't it?" he shouted gleefully, eyeing all the onlookers purposely before striding towards the car and getting in, ignoring the scowl Jester shot at him as she left the gas station.

"You realize I am a contract killer that's already pinging Batman's radar, we're both in MY car on the way to do a job, and you just drew all the cops' attention, along with Batman's as well?" she asked, incensed at their exposure.

"Maybe next time you'll think twice before you tantalize a gas station full of men like that," he snarled, putting his cap and sunglasses back on.

"Jealous, are we?"

"He called you a 'bitch', Jester. It's not about jealousy."

"Funny, I wasn't even talking about him. Deflection usually means denial."

"You already know I was fucking jealous, now shut up about it."

"Did you mean what you said before?"

The car slowed to a stop at a red light, and she looked around to make sure no one was noticing them as she spoke. It was the middle of the day, bright and sunny, and people were out driving and walking and enjoying the weather.

"I've said a lot of things today, Jester," he replied coolly, looking out his window at passersby who had no idea that one of Gotham City's most feared and dangerous criminals was sitting in a car, in the middle of traffic, wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses as though he was just another functional member of society.

"You told me you love me. Did you mean it?"

She was staring at him, her gaze burning holes in the side of his face. "Fuck," he muttered, turning to face her. He took off his sunglasses and looked her directly in the eye. "Yes, little bird. I meant it." He put his hand over his heart. "This – this thing inside my chest – it beats for _you_. It's **yours**. I'd cut it out of my chest right now and gift wrap it for you to prove it."

Her eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered for a second before she cleared her throat and blinked, desperately reaching for a cigarette and lighting it. She took a huge drag of it and sighed, blowing the smoke back out through her nose and mouth, and turned the music back up, not saying a word.

"You can't hide from it forever," he yelled over the music, reaching out and resting his hand on the back of her neck, stroking her skin with his thumb.

* * *

They finally pulled into a parking garage, all the way up on the fourth floor. She had debated parking on the fifth floor, the top of the garage, but decided against it in case batman was using any of his precious little gadgets and spotted her and Joker. The fourth floor wasn't used too much, so they'd still have some kind of privacy there. "What are we doing here?" Joker asked. He looked around, not seeing any other cars or people.

"This," she said, leaning forward and wrapping her hand around the back of his neck before kissing him harshly. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment, but he quickly recovered and moved closer to her, running his hands through her hair. He had a million questions, but he said nothing, grinning against her mouth as she ravished his. She further surprised him when she carefully, blindly, crawled over to him and into his lap, straddling him as she kissed him. She rolled her hips against his, nipping hard at his bottom lip before sucking on it, running the tip of her tongue along it. "Oh, fuck," Joker moaned, snaking his arms around her and cupping her ass in his hands. He let his head fall back as she lowered her mouth to his throat, trailing her tongue from the base of his throat to the soft skin between his jaw and his ear, biting him before continuing her assault on the rest of his throat, marking him with love bites that ripped several moans from him. "What the fuck are you doing?" he growled, squeezing her ass tightly in his hands before sliding his hands to her thighs, raking his nails down her flesh through her leggings.

"What does it look like?" she taunted, leaning back and pulling her shirt up over her head and throwing it to the passenger side floor. He noticed she wasn't wearing the corset he told her to, but the purple push up looked just as sexy on her. "Oh, _God," _he whispered, wrapping an arm around her throat and forcing her backward until her head rested against the dash and she was exposed before him. He dipped his head down, licking a trail from the waistline of her leggings up to her throat, licking over the fabric of her bra between her breasts as he went. She moaned at the contact and he stiffened in his pants, shifting so his hard, thick length was pressing against the crack of her ass. "Feel that?" he whispered, sliding his hands up and down her sides as he pressed hot, wet kisses to the swell of her breasts. She moaned, nodding, and he grinned before unclasping her bra and flinging it towards the drivers seat. He had seen her breasts before, sure, but this time they were in the middle of what was promising to be some good foreplay and he was able to really look at them. "You're so perfect, baby," he breathed, cupping her breasts in his hands. They were round, perky, full, and her pink nipples were already pebbled with her arousal. He pinched both of them, rolling them between his fingers and reveling in the sounds of her moans.

"Take these off," he commanded, tugging at her leggings. She did as he bade, lifting her hips until her panty covered pussy was almost level with his face, careful not to kick him in the junk as she pulled them off of her once they reached her ankles. She went to slide back down but he caught her with his hands, pushing her back up. "No," he growled sharply, glaring into her glassy eyes. "I want to taste you, princess," he whispered, his breath tickling her slick folds and eliciting a moan from her. He grinned wickedly at her before sticking his tongue out and sliding it up her slit over the fabric of her panties. She moaned again, bucking her hips up and he chuckled. "Patience," he chided, licking her again through the fabric before slowly sliding her panties to the side and slipping his tongue between her wet folds. "Mmm," he moaned, sending vibrations through her pussy and making her wetter. "You're _delicious_."

He teased her like that for a little longer before hooking his fingers in her panties and swiftly sliding them down her legs. He wasn't sure what got her all worked up like this – enough to pounce on him – but he wasn't complaining. He was thrilled. Once she was completely naked, he grinned at her bald pussy and was happy to see she shaved – it was obviously done recently, meaning she must have done it for him. He lowered his head to her center again, using his fingers to spread her open before flicking his tongue against her clit. "Spread your legs for me, baby," he whispered. She shivered, doing as he bade, and he growled his approval. He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to him, sliding his tongue up her slit and flicking at her clit again with the tip of his tongue before taking it into his mouth and sucking on it, keeping her spread wide open for him with his fingers. He moaned against her clit to send vibrations through her body and knew she was loving it from the volume of her moans. He lapped at her pussy like it was his last meal, dipping his tongue inside her every now and then and fucking her with it while she writhed and cried out. Her legs began quivering as he licked and sucked at her clit, humming against her, and he smiled. "You gonna cum for me, baby?" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her pussy. She nodded frantically, one of her arms stretched to his window, holding the handle in a white-knuckled grip.

"Do you think I should let you cum for me? Do you think you've earned it?" he was teasing her, keeping his mouth off of her pussy but close enough as he spoke that his breath tickled her sensitive skin. She nodded again, biting her bottom lip and eagerly bucking her hips. "I don't know, baby, I think I need some convincing..." he slid his hand over her body, from her lower belly to her throat, lightly scraping his nails against her skin as he trailed his hand back down. "Beg me for it."

"Please!" she cried out, bucking her hips again. "_Please_, J!"

He smirked at her, flicking his tongue against her clit to tease her. "'Please J' what?"

"Please, J, let me cum!"

"Do you _really _want to?" he growled, turned on by her submission.

She nodded frantically, using her free hand to grip him by the hair. He grinned, slowly lowering his head. "If you say so..."

It didn't take long before she was quivering and screaming, her hips lifting so high they were about a couple of inches from the roof of the car as she shattered. She was panting, coming down from the high of her orgasm, her ass planted firmly in his lap as he stroked her bare skin with his hands, planting light kisses all over her. She felt his stiff cock pressing against her ass and ground herself against it in slow circles, biting her bottom lip. "Do you want this?" he whispered, lifting his hips and pressing himself against her. She nodded, looking him in the eye as she did, dampening at the heat in his eyes. "Ask me nicely," he growled, using the handle to lean his seat back.

"Please, baby," she whispered, rolling her hips into his. He moaned, gripping her by the hips and digging his nails into her flesh. "Again... 'please, baby' what?"

"Please, baby... fuck me."

That was all he needed. He released her hips and pulled off his shirt, tossing it into the backseat before sliding off his sweatpants and boxer briefs, letting them pool around his ankles. He chuckled at the look on Jester's face as she stared at his cock, gaping. "Like what you see?" he asked, stroking it with one hand while his other hand wrapped around her throat.

She was still staring at him, almost terrified of fucking him at this point – he was huge! Sure, she'd fucked big guys before, but he was menacingly big. She thought back to Damian's size and knew he was 8" and really girthy, which meant Joker must've been a little over 9" and from the looks of it, a lot thicker. He was going to split her in half! She hadn't had sex in over a year, so she was basically tight as a virgin these days, and she knew this would hurt like a motherfucker at first... but oh, it would hurt _so good. _"I do," she breathed, teasingly rubbing her slick folds against his cock, slowly moving up and down. He leaned back in his seat and watched her, his eyes half-lidded with his arousal. "Come here, my little Jester," he commanded, crooking his finger. She slid down to her knees, placing her hands on his knees as she leaned forward. She slid her tongue from the base of his cock to the tip, swirling it around the crown and licking up the pre-cum that had beaded at the tip. He groaned, fisting a hand in her hair, letting her do as she pleased. She grinned and sucked the head into her mouth, teasing him with flicks of her tongue before lowering her head and taking in as much of him as she could. She was rusty, out of practice, and she knew there was no way she'd be able to deep throat him this first time – hell, she'd have to practically train for that.

"Good girl," he purred, lifting his hips and pushing himself further into her mouth. "Take it, baby."

His words made her wetter and more eager to please him, so she worked harder, trying to swallow his entire length. She was gagging, choking, and her eyes were watering but she didn't care, she kept bobbing her head up and down, taking long moments to suck and lick at the underside of his cock. "Stay still," he suddenly snarled, gripping her harder by the hair. He sat up, sliding forward in his seat and pushing her backward until her head lightly hit the glove box. He grinned wickedly at her before pulling roughly on her hair and shoving himself inside her mouth, pushing as far as he could. "Open wide," he commanded, still pushing. "Take it all. You know you can." He gripped her throat in his free hand and pushed even harder, forcing his entire length into her mouth and down her throat. He held her there until her face turned red and she was choking, and pulled out of her mouth, licking his lips. "Fuck," he breathed, taking in her tear-stained cheeks and the arousal burning in her eyes.

"Come to me," he beckoned, sliding back in his seat and patting his thighs. She crawled her way up his body, gripping his shoulders in her hands and looking down at his cock that stood erect just a few inches below her entrance. "Ready?" he whispered, pressing a kiss to her throat. She bit her lip and nodded, screaming as he impaled her in one swift movement. "Ohhhh..." he let his head fall back, his eyes screwed shut as he felt her walls clamp around him. He could feel himself stretching her, forcing her to accommodate his length and girth, and it was _amazing. _"God, baby, you feel so fucking _good_," he was purring in her ear, kissing his way from her throat to her breasts, suckling at her nipples for a few delicious moments before he gripped her hips and started to fuck her, hard and fast.

She was still screaming in both pain and pleasure, moaning his name in between screams and shouts, raking her nails down his chest and stomach and drawing blood. "Yes, princess!" he shouted, grinning as she scratched him. "Mark me!"

She seemed more turned on by that, moving her hands to his shoulders and tugging at them. He understood what she wanted, leaning forward in his seat and draping her over the dash again as he fucked her. "All yours, baby," he growled in her ear, giving her a good, hard thrust as she raked her nails down the flesh of his back. She repeated the motion, shredding his skin as she went, and he growled in pleasure. He cupped the back of her head, not wanting her to smash it against the windshield, and used his other hand to fondle her breasts as he kissed and bit her neck. He felt her walls beginning to clamp down on him and he grinned, fucking her harder until her legs began to quiver around him. "Wrap your legs tighter around me," he whispered, and she did as she was told, hooking her ankles together behind him. "Cum again for me," he commanded, choking her hard as he slammed into her, hard enough to hurt her and please her at the same time. She began panting harder, her skin was slick with sweat, and she was bucking back against him. Her walls clamped down around him and he felt her legs shaking uncontrollably around him. "_Now_," he snarled, sinking his teeth into her pulse point and biting down so hard he drew blood. She shattered as soon as his teeth pierced her flesh, screaming his name so loud it hurt his ears, and the contractions of her orgasm ripped his own from him. He moaned her name as he spilled himself deep inside her, panting so hard he was wheezing. He licked up the blood that had welled up where he bit her, licking his lips and savoring the taste of her juices and her blood in his mouth. He carefully wrapped his arms around her and leaned back in his seat, her head falling against his chest as they basked in their post-coital bliss.

Jester eventually caught her breath, listening to his heartbeat as she calmed down and came back down from cloud nine. "That was..."

His chest rumbled as he chuckled, stroking her hair with one hand. "Soul-stealing," he finished for her, a hint of amusement in his tone. She grinned, chuckling along with him. "That sums it up, yeah," she agreed.

She slowly began to pull herself up and off of him, searching for all her clothes. She found them, piece by piece, and handed his shirt back when she caught sight of it in the backseat. They slowly redressed themselves, settling back in their respective seats. He carefully pulled his seat back up to a comfortable angle and looked over at her as she lit a cigarette, looking more calm, composed, and genuinely happy than he'd ever seen her. "What brought that on?" he asked, placing one of his large, pale hands over the hand she had on the shift knob.

She shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I think the gray sweatpants are having an effect on me," she glanced at his crotch and he laughed, threading his fingers through her hair. "Was it everything you hoped for?" he teased.

She laughed, grinning at him. "Oh, it was so much more," she said. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips, resting his forehead against hers for a moment. "Do you love me?" he whispered, pressing one more kiss to her lips.

She nodded, not saying anything, and then backed away from him. She settled back in her seat, taking a drag from her cigarette and scrolling through her phone to find a song to play. "Let's get to work," she said, turning the radio up as she put the car in gear. He shook his head, lighting up one of the Marlboro reds she had gotten him, putting his sunglasses and hat back on. He looked out the window as she drove, neither of them saying anything to the other, just listening to the music and enjoying each other's company.

"J," she muttered after awhile, keeping her eyes on the road as he turned to face her.

She took a deep breath, looking physically pained before she said the four words that changed everything for both of them. "I love you, too."

He reached out his left hand and took her free one in it, lacing their fingers together. "I won't make you regret it," he promised, still staring right at her. "I won't hurt you."

"That's your mark?" Joker was watching from the passenger seat, his eyes glued to a man in a Lincoln Navigator that was talking on his cell phone, seemingly in a heated discussion.

"Yup," Jester was all business at this point, eyeing the man like a hawk. "Serial rapist. I had several women come to me about him. Apparently he likes to beat and stab them while he rapes them, nearly killing them. He's trash."

Joker nodded. "Does this help you?" he asked, shifting his gaze to her. "Eradicating men like this – does it make you feel better?"

She smirked, nodding. "Absolutely. The justice system fails us – the cops won't do shit, and even if they do and these assholes get arrested, they either get let go or sent to jail for a few months and released early on 'good behavior'. Then, they get out, and they kill their victims for putting them there in the first place. It doesn't stop... not until I get a phone call."

Joker nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "So this is how you caught me," he scowled, remembering standing around in a parking garage for 45 minutes, waiting on the woman who was never going to show up.

She laughed. "You caught me," she admitted. "I always show up early to my meetings with my callers, and even to my mark's destinations. I like to case the areas first – I never go in blind. I had you pegged the second you passed by me in your purple Lamborghini. Once I saw you pull into that lot and get out, I knew you had set me up."

He chuckled. "I better get a less noticeable car, huh?"

"Why, planning on setting me up again?" she teased.

He shook his head. "Might be worth it to have an extra, unassuming car for _personal errands." _

She chuckled. "J, _nothing _about you is ever unassuming."

"Yet everything about _you_ is."

She grinned. "That's accurate."

Without another word, she pointed her gun out of her driver's side window, firing off a shot and hitting the man right in the temple, staying long enough at the scene to watch his eyes roll back in his head before he fell limp in his seat, mouth hanging open.

"And that's all she wrote," she chirped, putting the car in gear and making the turbo hiss as she sped off, her and the Joker laughing the whole way down the street.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I don't own or take credit for anything except my OC's.

**WARNING: LEMON AHEAD!**

* * *

"**OH MY GOD!" **Jester was screaming, her hands raking through her hair as she paced like a wild animal in the driveway, circling the shiny GNX parked there, looking as brand new as the day it was built. "This is... this is a _GNX!_" Her wild eyes met Joker's amused ones and he grinned at her.

"It is," he agreed.

"This is impossible! There were only 547 made! How... WHERE?"

"Well, baby, it's _me. _You should know by know that whatever I want, I get."

"This. Is. A. G-N-X." She was standing still now, in complete shock, her hand over her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

He laughed, holding out a hand to Johnny who produced a thick manila envelope from inside his suit jacket and handed it to the Joker.

"It's _your _GNX, baby," Joker whispered, sauntering over to her and handing her the envelope. She opened it and pulled out two vanity license plates with the word "JESTER" on them. Her eyes popped and she gasped, not even realizing she was crying as her knees hit the ground. "What?" she croaked, looking up at him. He was laughing again, completely amused and entertained by her reaction.

"It's yours, baby. All yours. I was going to have a Jester painted on the hood, but I figured this would be your new work car. I did some research, and I see why you love these cars so much... they outrun Corvettes, Ferrari's.." he cast a glance at his purple Lamborghini, "...and Lamborghini's."

She grinned at him, a devilish look on her face. "Giving me a vehicle that I can use to run away with?"

"I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to, but I'm hoping you won't. Call it a show of faith."

He crossed his arms over his chest, looking directly into her eyes. "There's more inside, you know," he said.

"Is it Christmas?" she asked, quickly getting to her feet.

"No, just a regular day in your new life... with me."

He wrapped an arm around her waist and walked her inside, bringing her upstairs and into the apartment they now shared. When they stepped through the wall, she saw a few boxes stacked on the coffee table in the living room, all different shapes and sizes and wrapped in black paper with green and purple ribbons. Joker followed her line of sight and laughed. "Yes, those are for you."

He pulled her over to the couch and pressed a kiss to her forehead, nose, and lips before sitting down and pulling her into his lap. "Go on," he prodded, nodding towards the boxes.

"Wait," she muttered, biting her lip. "Why are you doing all of this?" she asked, turning to face him. "It's not because we had sex, right? It's not because I said I love you? I didn't do it for this, you know... I did those things because I -"

He cut her off with a kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair. She melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his green hair. When he finally broke it and caught his breath, he gave her a serious look. "All of this was in motion before any of that happened today," he said. "When you cowered away from me in the bathroom this morning, I went downstairs and had the boys set to work getting all of this for you while we were gone."

"So... you did this _before? _You didn't even know that I -" she was whispering, shocked.

"I always knew, baby. Always. Even when you ran from me, even when you sent that warning shot at me, even when you screamed at me at Ace Chemicals. I always knew you loved me, no matter how hard you tried to fight it and run from it, and no matter how many times you denied it."

"How could you know?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair.

"You push away the people you love and care about the most, convinced that you need to hurt and abandon them first before they get the chance to do it to you," he explained. "You couldn't do that in Arkham since you were trapped in a cell next to me, but once we were free, you took off like a bat out of hell away from me and I knew I was right – I knew you loved me all that time and you were gonna keep running from me until I stopped you."

"I don't know what to say to that," she muttered, feeling self-conscious and extremely vulnerable which, in turn, made her feel uncomfortable.

"You don't need to say anything, you just need to open those boxes." He was smiling at her.

She grinned, reaching for a small, square box. "This isn't what I think it is... is it?" she asked, quirking a brow at him.

He burst out laughing, causing her to laugh, too. "Slow down, speed racer!" He motioned for her to open it and she did, unwrapping the box and ripping the black paper away from the box. It was definitely a jewelry box, she knew that much, but when she opened it there was no ring. Instead, a 10 karat black and white diamond tennis bracelet was inside, glittering in the light. "Holy shit!" she gasped, clutching at her chest with her hand. "I don't... What?"

"Oh, if this is how you react to a simple bracelet, I should clear an entire week for you to get through the rest of these boxes." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling the bracelet from the box and carefully clasping it around her left wrist. "I remembered that you hate gold, so you won't have anything gold – unless it's white gold, rose gold, or black gold, of course."

She was staring at him wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open. He laughed, pulling the coffee table closer to them and grabbing another box. "Open," he commanded, winking at her.

She did as she was told, unwrapping this one to find a necklace inside to match her bracelet. Hanging from it was a black and white diamond jester crown the size of a quarter.

"Hold up your hair, princess," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. She did, pulling her hair up in her hands, and he carefully picked up the necklace and placed it around her neck, clasping it in the back. It rested just past her collar bones, the perfect length for it to always be visible no matter what she wore.

He turned her to face him so she was straddling him and he chuckled. "Why are you crying?" he whispered, wiping her tears away. She shook her head frantically, sobbing, and buried her face in his chest. His laughter caused a rumble in his chest, the vibration of it and his heartbeat soothing her. "I'm such a fucking crybaby lately," she mumbled. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. "You really are. You PMSing or something?" he teased.

She smacked his arm lightly, hissing at him. "You're an ass!"

"You've got more boxes to open, princess. Or do you want me to do it for you?"

She wrenched her head from his chest and glared at him. "Back off, clown! I'll open them myself."

He leaned back against the cushions and spread his arms out wide. "Be my guest," he chirped.

She turned back around and opened another box, revealing a black .45 caliber 1911 handgun with a jester on the purple grips, customized with "Songbird" engraved on both sides of the slide. In another box she found four magazines for the gun, along with several boxes of bullets – about 5,000 to be exact.

The rest of the boxes contained a new, black shoulder holster, an ankle holster, a gun cleaning kit, a set of black throwing knives, diamond collars for both of the dogs that must have cost well over $100k – they were each 2" thick and lined with 4k diamonds. One was green and one was purple. He had also given her new gloves, a few black, purple, green, and white bandannas for her hair, several tubes of burgundy lipstick, and in the last box was something he was extremely nervous about her opening. He had kept it to the side, saving it for last, and when she got to it he froze, avoiding her eyes.

"You don't have to wear it," was all he said, almost cringing as she opened it. Inside the box was a black cotton-blend v-neck t-shirt. She could tell it would be very form fitting and comfortable. When she pulled it out of the box, another long, rectangular box was revealed underneath it, but before she could reach for it her eyes fell on the writing on the shirt.

She glanced at Joker, who still wouldn't meet her eyes, and looked back at the shirt. In large, bold green print were the words "PROPERTY OF THE JOKER".

She said nothing, neatly folding up the shirt and carefully setting it back in the box before she opened the rectangular box. Inside she found a white gold 7 mm Cuban chain link necklace with a white gold dog tag hanging from it that said the same thing as the shirt, only it was engraved into the dog tag in a thick, black script. From the looks of it, it would hang just below her jester pendant if she were to wear it.

She inhaled sharply, thumbing the dog tag before setting the box back down, carefully closing the lid and pushing the entire box, shirt and all, to the side.

"J..." she whispered, shifting her gaze to him. He wouldn't look at her, keeping his head turned away and acting as though the wall was the most interesting thing he'd seen in his entire life.

"Look at me, dammit!" she snapped, tugging at his shirt.

He ran his hands over his face and smoothed back his hair before looking at her, anxiety written all over his features.

"What's that about?" she asked, pointing to the shirt and necklace. He sighed and leaned back against the couch, examining her face before answering her.

"You need to understand something," he began, his expression hardening. "I'm only soft, nice, and affectionate with _you_, and in private." She nodded her understanding, and he continued. "With that being said, you need to understand I can't be that way in the club, in front of the boys, in public... _anywhere_. I can't look weak or vulnerable."

"What the fuck does that have to do with _this? _I'm not a dog, J! As a matter of fact, I don't even treat my _dogs _like property!" She was angry now, glaring at him.

He held up a hand, leveling her with a serious look. "I know that, baby. It's not about possession or ownership, it's... you're the fire hydrant, and I'm the dog, you see?"

"WHAT?!" she jumped to her feet, seething.

He put his hands up, shaking his head. "Wrong thing to say. I'm sorry. I'm trying to explain this so you'll understand. Please, baby..." he pat the couch next to him and she glared at him, but sat down.

"There are men out there – business associates, enemies, rivals – that will want to take you from me. There are men that will try to touch you, talk to you, seduce you... even some that will try to kidnap you. Those," he pointed to the shirt and necklace, "will prevent about 90% of that. If they see you as _mine, _as my _Queen _rather than my pretty plaything, they will not try."

"So... your fucking logic is that claiming me as 'property' proves I'm your _Queen _and protects me? First of all, _clown_, you know very well that I can protect myself and don't need your fucking help. Second of all, you know that I belong to _no one _but myself. I'm not wearing them. Actually," she took off the necklace and the bracelet he had given her and carefully placed them on the table, "I don't want any of it. I'm not your property."

"Songbird..." there was a hint of desperation in his voice and she ignored it as she began storming off.

"Raven!" he barked, standing up and stalking after her.

"THAT'S NOT MY NAME!" she screamed, whipping around to face him. She tugged at her hair. "I look like THIS because of _you_, or don't you remember?!" She whipped her head around, looking for a blunt object and not finding one. In her rage, she lifted her foot and pulled her shoe off, hurling it at his head. He ducked just in time, avoiding the first shoe just to come up in time to be smacked with the next one. "Dammit!" he hollered, reaching for her. She danced out of his reach and ran to the kitchen, grabbing the cooking utensils and throwing them at him, most of which he evaded. "Would you stop fucking throwing things?!" he shouted, trying his hardest to fight off the madness threatening to take over.

"I fucked you! I fucked you and told you I love you, and you turn around and fucking treat me like every other asshole before you! Like PROPERTY! Like I'm an OBJECT! I'm a fucking _human_ _being_, you prick! I'm not a fucking TOY! You don't own me! Nobody does! **Nobody**!" she was screaming, her voice becoming more hoarse as she went on. The look of fury in her face was replaced with pain and he stood still, waiting to see what she would do next. As he expected, she drew a gun on him. "Here we go again..." he muttered, spreading his feet apart and bracing himself. "Go ahead."

To his surprise, she shot two inches to the right of him, putting a decent sized hole in the wall. He blinked, turning to look at it, when she proceeded to empty the clip into the wall – all 20 bullets.

"Shit," he hissed, running his fingers through his hair. "Okay, that's an easy fix, that's fine."

"As far as the wall goes, yeah," she hissed. "As far as you and I go, not so much." She began stalking off again and he followed her, hot on her heels as she entered the bedroom. She stormed into the bathroom, moving quickly and trying to shut the door to lock him out before he reached it. No such luck. He caught the door with his hand and used his body weight to force the door open, pushing her back.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, seething as he stood in front of her yet again while she brandished something else to throw at him – a hairbrush.

His eyes flashed dark for a second as he fought the madness, approaching her swiftly. Once he was in arms' reach of her, he pulled her roughly into him and assaulted her mouth with a bruising, searing kiss, stealing her breath.

"I told you that you don't have to wear them. I don't see you as property or an object. I know you're a human being, Jester." He was careful with his words, and careful not to call her 'Raven', since it seemed to elicit a horrible reaction each time. He pulled her tighter into his chest, resting his head on top of hers. "I do not see you as a toy, or as a belonging. I am not trying to control or possess you, I am not trying to belittle or degrade you, and I'm certainly not trying to make you feel inferior. You're my equal, Jester, and I know that. I just need you to understand that being with me – being my Queen, ruling Gotham at my side – it's going to put a big bullseye on you."

"I don't need your fucking protection!" her tone was bitter, laced with her anger, and he could tell she was crying. No, they weren't sad tears – they were angry tears. He came to realize that sometimes, in her rage, she would cry – that was her darkness clawing its way to the surface, the desire to kill and being unable to becoming overwhelming for her.

"I know, baby. You're so good at taking care of yourself – you've done it all your life. But you don't have to do it by yourself anymore – that's what I'm here for. Let me take care of you. I know you're strong and independent, and I respect and admire that – but at least lean on me, baby. Share your burdens with me. Be my _partner. _Don't do it all on your own. Besides, with the new enemies you're making, you're going to need my help."

"What enemies?" she asked, lifting her head from his chest to meet his gaze.

"I've had meetings – everyone's hearing whispers, rumors, and stories about the female contract killer coming up the ranks. The streets are buzzing. Right now you're a ghost – they don't know your name, where you come from, where you live, if you work alone or not – anything. They _do _know how your clients contact you, and they do know the type of men you're killing. You are a threat to most of my associates, and to most men in the crime world here in Gotham. Soon enough, they'll find out who you are, and they'll all begin setting you up to try and take you out. I will keep that from happening for as long as possible, but I can't hold them off forever."

"Let them set me up – daddy didn't raise a fuckin' fool." She was still angry, but calmer than she had been.

He smiled at her. "I know, baby. Your father was a force to be reckoned with." She quirked a brow at that and he waved her off. "Another time, doll face. Just listen to me – when everyone finds out who you are, it's better for you to be associated with me as my Queen. They'll be more hesitant to kill you. Just think about it, okay?"

"Why can't I be viewed as your Queen without you claiming me as property?"

"_Look at me_, Jester. Look at the way I portray myself in public – do you think any of them would believe The Joker would let his Queen run around all over the place without some kind of... _distinction... _so people knew to stay the fuck away from her?"

She sighed, defeated on that point. "What about my tattoo?"

"Does it show when you're working?" he smirked, shifting his gaze to her shoulder that was currently covered by her shirt.

"God dammit."

"Think about it, baby. I swear I'm not doing it to be an asshole. I promised you I wouldn't hurt you again, I meant it."

"I'll do it on one condition," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. He didn't like it.

"Oh, boy... sock it to me."

"I want my name tattooed on you. 'Property of Jester', somewhere visible."

"That's all?" he asked, quirking a brow at her. She was shocked by his reaction, her eyes widening. "I didn't think - "

He cut her off with a wave of his hand, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dialing Joe.

"Joe! Just the guy I'm looking for. I hope you're not busy – I need you here within the next hour. Oh, you're free? Excellent. See you soon."

He ended the call and grinned at Jester. "Well, well, well... how about we get all that jewelry back on ya? Maybe you can try on your new shirt while you're at it."

"I hate you," she muttered, moving to stalk past him. He grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. "You love me," he growled, pressing a kiss to her throat.

She groaned, letting her head fall back. "I love it when you submit to me, you gorgeous, feisty little thing," he purred, throwing her on the bed and climbing on top of her.

* * *

Before she knew it, he had stripped all of their clothes off, and he was leaning over her. She lifted her head and kissed him, wrapping a hand around the back of his head and the other around his back. He settled himself on top of her, nearly crushing her under his weight, and kissed her back. She took her hand off his back, slipping it between their bodies and stroking his length with her fingers. He moaned into her mouth, using his knee to spread her thighs apart. He slipped a hand between them and slid his fingers up her slit, groaning when he felt how wet she was, and plunged himself inside of her without a word. She screamed, just as she had earlier in the day, and wrapped her legs tight around him. "Oh, that's my girl," he purred, pumping slowly in and out of her.

Their eyes met and he grinned down at her. "Still mad at me?" he whispered, pulling back before slamming as hard and deep as he possibly could inside her, ripping another scream from her. She shook her head, tossing it to the side and exposing her throat. He growled, lowering his head and biting her as hard as he could, once again breaking the skin and drawing blood. "If we do this often enough, my Queen, you won't need to wear the shirt and necklace – my teeth marks will show who you belong to." She moaned in response, whining and bucking her hips against him. He laughed, knowing what she wanted. He moved his head to her left shoulder, pressing kisses to each letter of his name on her tattoo before sinking his teeth into the spot where her neck and shoulder connected, breaking the skin. She dug her nails into his shoulders and tore them down his back, reopening wounds from earlier and creating new ones in the process.

"You love submitting to me when I fuck you, don't you?" he purred. She nodded, unable to speak as he drove her into her first orgasm with his words and rhythm. He quickened his pace as she came, drawing it out before he flipped them over. "Show me what you got," he grinned at her, gripping her hips tightly in his hands. She smirked at him, leaning down to kiss him before sitting back up. "I'll do you one better," she whispered, turning around and leaning forward as far as she could while still keeping him inside her. He groaned, gripping her ass in both hands and watched as she fucked him, hard and fast, moaning uncontrollably as she moved.

"Oh... oh _god_, baby!" His moans were becoming louder as she rode him, and soon he found himself trying to force down his own release. "Baby... baby, get off! I'm gonna cum, get off!" he was desperate, gritting his teeth and fisting the sheets tightly in his hands as he tried to hold back. She slowed down long enough to shoot him an evil grin over her shoulder before continuing, fucking him even harder. "Oh, you fucking minx," he snarled, gripping her hips so hard he was bruising her. He tensed up and her name ripped from his throat as he spilled himself inside of her, almost screaming when he felt her walls clamp around him as his release spurred her own on.

She held herself up on shaky arms as she came down from her orgasm, panting and trembling. She could hear the sheets rustling behind her and felt him move inside her as he sat up, wrapping his arms around her. "That was cruel," he whispered, sending a shiver down her spine.

She grinned, chuckling as she turned to the side to face him. "Tell me, baby," she purred. "Who fucked who?"

"Oh, you bad, _bad_ girl," he crooned, shifting her around so she was facing him before pulling her down with him, still inside of her. She gasped as she felt him hardening inside her, slowly stretching her again.

"I'm going to rectify that for you..." he thrust deep into her, holding her down by her hips, "...right _now." _

She clawed at his chest, trying to pull herself up and take control but he laughed, wrapping his arms even tighter around her as he pumped harder, faster. "I don't think so," he growled in her ear, causing her to shiver again. "Fuck you," she growled in his ear, fighting against his grip. He laughed once more. "Wait your turn, naughty girl. I'm not done fucking _you."_

She sank her teeth into his skin, biting as hard as she could until she tasted blood, causing him to yell out her name in pleasure. He gripped her hair, tugging it hard and pulling her head back, opening her throat to him. He bit her, right in the middle of her throat, slamming as hard as he could into her simultaneously. She screamed and shattered instantly, going slack in his arms as she lay on his chest. "That's right," he whispered, "you cum when I want you to." She tugged at his shoulders and he kissed her temple before flipping them over, holding himself up with his arms on either side of her. "You like it when I'm in control?"

She nodded, trying to pull his head down for a kiss but he refused, going rigid. "Tell me, my little Jester... who do you belong to?" he thrust into her quickly, then slowly began pulling back out. "You," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his lower back and digging her nails into his skin. "What? I couldn't hear you," he growled, slamming back into her and pulling out again. She moaned, whining for him to stop teasing her. "Louder, songbird!"

"You!" she snapped, trying to pull him back inside her by his hips. He still wouldn't budge, glaring into her eyes as he loomed over her. "Say it properly," he commanded.

"I belong to you!" she yelled, tugging at him again. He slowly began to re-enter her, inch by inch, but stopped again. "Will you be Property of The Joker in public for me?"

She gasped. "You bastard!" she spat, smacking him on the shoulder. He grinned down at her and slipped the rest of the way inside of her, picking up his rhythm again. "Tell me, baby."

She shook her head and he snarled, gripping her by her hair and her throat, driving mercilessly into her over and over so hard she thought he was actually going to split her open. "No?" he asked, a dangerous undertone to his voice as his eyes darkened. "Oh, fuck," she moaned, meeting his thrusts with her own eager ones, desperate for him to fill her again. "You want my cum, baby?" he teased, pinching one of her nipples in his fingers. She nodded, hissing at the sensation and writhing underneath him.

"You naughty bitch," the growl in her ear sent tingles along her skin and she tensed as her walls tightened around him. She was right on the cusp of another orgasm when he pulled completely out of her, holding her down by her throat and laughed. "Tell me what I want to hear, and we can both cum."

"That's not fair," she was panting, whining, and writhing in his grip. She bucked her hips, trying to entice him into fucking her, but he wouldn't give. "Are you going to be a good girl and portray yourself as Property of The Joker in public?"

She bucked her hips again and he shook his head, defiantly inching away from her to prove the point.

"Fuck, fine! Fine! I'll do it, just please... _PLEASE!"_

He grinned at her and released her throat, tangling his hands in her hair as he drove back into her, burying himself to the hilt. "Fuck, Jester," he groaned, pistoning in and out of her as fast as he could. "Are you going to cum for your King?" he purred, reaching a hand down to her pussy and rubbing light circles on her clit. She screamed in response, her hips lifting off the bed and her body tightening as another orgasm crashed over her, rendering her incoherent and nearly blind for what seemed like an eternity. She felt him as he spilled himself inside of her, filling her, and the sensation forced her to cum again, moaning his name so loud she could swear all the henchmen heard.

He collapsed on top of her and kissed her tattooed shoulder, stroking her arms with his hands. "I fucking love you," he whispered it against her skin, freeing up a hand to stroke her face with. She caught his hand in hers and turned her head, kissing his palm. "I love you, my Joker," she whispered back just before she fell asleep, warm and cozy under his body and in his bed.

He smiled at her and carefully slipped out of bed, tucking her in before pulling on his boxers and sweatpants, just in time for Johnny's text to come through letting him know Joe had arrived. Joker whistled and Karma and Hades bounded over to him, wagging their little nub tails so hard their whole bodies shook. He laughed, patting their heads and beckoning for them to follow him from the room. He quietly closed the bedroom door behind him and made his way to the boxes on the living room table, fishing out the diamond collars he bought for the dogs. "Karma, you beautiful girl, come here." He sat and pat his knees, grinning at the jet black female. She was absolutely stunning – jet black with a white and black speckled chest and white socks. He put the purple collar on her, kissing her nose when it was on. "So gorgeous! Look at you, beautiful baby! Your mama is gonna be so excited!" Karma was wuffing at him, wiggling in her excitement and loving the praise and attention she was receiving. Joker laughed, beckoning Hades over. Hades was blue, from head to toe, and absolutely stunning as well. Joker never understood why they called that color 'blue', it looked more like a slate gray to him, after all. He slipped the green collar over Hades' head and scratched his ears. "What a handsome boy! The green looks good on ya, buddy! I can't wait til your mama wakes up and sees you both!" he clapped gleefully before standing, ushering the dogs through the hole in the wall with him. He cackled as they knocked things over in the storage room like bulls in a china shop. "Oh, you two make life so much more entertaining," he crooned, amused at the way the dogs flanked him on either side as he made his way down the hall, the stairs, and through the club to his office.

* * *

"Joe!" he shouted, grinning at the man. "Good to see ya!" Joe laughed, taking in the Joker's overly joyful and jubilant expression and demeanor – and then he noticed the teeth marks in his chest and the scratches all over his body.

"Ah, someone's had an interesting day," Joe mused, grinning at the Joker.

Joker laughed. "You could say that," he winked at Joe and took up his usual seat at the head of the table. "I've got another neck job for ya, specifically requested by the Queen,"

Joe quirked a brow. "The Queen?" he asked, bravely questioning the Joker.

Joker took it in stride, grinning. "You remember Raven, don't you?"

Joe nodded, and then his eyes widened. "Wait... no... no way!" He looked excited, holding up his hand for a high-five.

The Joker high-fived him eagerly, both of them dissolving into laughter. "Yes way," Joker confirmed, motioning to her teeth marks and scratches all over his body. "Even told me she loves me," his tone exuded confidence and he leaned back in his seat, the perfect picture of happy, satisfied, satiated man.

Joe gave a low whistle. "Like I said, J. You're a lucky man. She's lovely."

Joker smiled. Joe and Johnny were probably the only two men that would ever be able to get away with saying anything about his Queen without eating a bullet, only because he knew they'd never, ever disrespect her or himself.

"She wants 'Property of Jester' tattooed on me somewhere visible... so I want it right here," he pointed towards the center of his throat, the only part of it that was bare now.

"Sheesh, J, that's gonna be tough. You sure?" Joe looked apprehensive and Joker thought about it for a minute.

"Can't think of anywhere else to put it that would be insanely obvious and easy to see. We've got a deal, you see. I do this, and she wears the 'Property of The Joker' shirt and necklace I got her in public to ease my... _concerns._"

Joe nodded, completely understanding without Joker having to say another word. He knew well enough what the Joker was concerned about – Raven was a gorgeous woman, people would try to take her from him, especially if she was going to be around the club and if Joker was going to be spoiling her with pretty, expensive outfits, and hair and nail maintenance. That woman would want for nothing, he knew it for a fact. Joker would do anything for her.

"Alright, throat it is. Let's get to it."

With that, Joe set up his kit and his machine and the Joker lay down flat on the table, staying unbelievably still while Joe tattooed his throat. Joe never imagined in a million years when he became a tattoo artist that his number one, constant client, would be the Joker himself. He dropped three appointments today to come to the Joker's club and tattoo him – the money Joker would pay him would cover his rent for the next three months, easily. The man always threw a stack of 100's at him without even flinching and never, ever wanted to hear any kind of argument about it. He always overpaid and over-tipped and he didn't care.

A couple of hours into the tattoo, a purple haired woman came into the office. She was as pale as the Joker, with aqua green eyes, and she wore a 'Property of the Joker' t-shirt, black and white diamond necklace with a black and white diamond jester crown hanging from it, a white gold Cuban chain necklace with a white gold dog tag hanging from it, with 'Property of The Joker' scrawled on it in script. She had a matching black and white diamond tennis bracelet on her wrist, a pair of purple cargo pants on, and black and white chucks on. Joe stopped his work for a moment, furrowing his eyebrows. "Can't be..." he muttered, sensing that there was something very, very familiar about this woman.

Joker laughed, noticing the look on Joe's face. "Baby, is that you?" he called, beckoning with his hand for her to come closer. She did, gleefully, and hugged Joe briefly. "Hey Joe!" she chirped in a very familiar voice, before settling down in a chair closest to Joker's head.

"Hiya baby," she grinned at Joker, leaning down to press a kiss to his red painted lips. He grinned and returned it, stroking her hair. "Joe doesn't recognize you," Joker whispered, giggling. Jester looked up and chuckled at Joe's face, cocking her head to the side.

"I don't go by 'Raven' anymore," she said. "I go by 'Jester' now – you know, since I look different and all."

"I don't understand... how...?"

"She decided to play hero... like an idiot," Joker grumbled, glaring up at the woman. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"That's because YOU threw the broad off the fuckin' platform! What did you expect me to do?!"

"Uh... let her die?"

She huffed. "Have you forgotten what I do for a living, darling?"

"Yes, yes. Women's champion and all that."

Joe couldn't help it – he burst out laughing at their banter, his head falling into his arms folded on top of the table. "Oh my god," he wheezed, gasping for air. The other two were laughing with him, and all three of them were soon cackling in the empty office.

"The chemistry between you two is so, so refreshing," Joe said honestly once he caught his breath and composed himself. "Really. You guys are like, the perfect couple!"

Jester beamed at him and Joker chuckled. "Thanks, Joey! Can I call you Joey? It's less serious than 'Joe.'"

Joe nodded at her, smiling.

"We're only a perfect couple because of her," Joker said seriously, looking over at Jester.

Joe's eyebrows shot up and he watched as Jester smiled down at the man, kissing his forehead. "It's actually because of you and your patience with me, but if you wanna tell everybody I'm perfect, I'm not gonna fight ya on it." She stuck her tongue out at him and Joe watched in fascination as the Joker wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, using his free one to gently stroke her face with his fingers. They looked at each other like they were the only two people in the room and it was mesmerizing to witness. They practically crackled with the sparks that flew between them.

Joe looked away, realizing he was staring at a vulnerable moment the Joker was having, and cleared his throat. The two pale lovers snapped out of their daze and Joker chuckled. "Let's get back to it... _Joey."_

Joe cracked a smile and glanced at Jester before cracking a joke. "Sounds better when Jester says it."

Luckily for him, the Joker liked him enough not to shoot him and to laugh instead.

* * *

Once the tattoo was done, they thanked Joe and made their way back to the apartment. Jester had been thrilled with the tattoo, sad when it had to be covered up with medical tape to keep it from getting infected. It was perfect, spanning the width of his throat in dark, bold, black script. "I love it," she crooned once more, smiling brightly at him. "I can't believe you did it!"

Joker laughed, pulling her into his arms. "And I can't believe you wore the shirt and necklace," he countered. She shrugged and looked down at the shirt and necklace.

"They're not as bad as I thought," she said, and he knew she was being honest.

"I have one more thing for you – I was saving it for a bad day, or the next time you cried for no reason, or the next time you tried to kill me." At her amused look, he sighed. "Yes, I know that all happened before, but I remedied that a _different_ way. If I remember correctly, you were _screaming_ my name."

"Oh, shut up. I had you at high octaves too! 'Baby... baby, get off! I'm gonna cum!'" she perfectly mimicked him and he rolled his eyes, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"See if I ever let you fuck me like that again," he threatened, pulling a box from his pocket.

She eyed him skeptically, taking the jewelry box in her hand. It was another square one.

"It's not what you think. Jesus, woman, for someone who didn't want to commit to me at all, you sure as shit keep hoping for a ring!"

She huffed, glaring at him. "I'm not _hoping _for a ring, jackass! _You_ keep giving me square jewelry boxes!"

"Baby, if I was going to give you a ring, I wouldn't just hand it to you in a fucking box like that. It would be a ridiculous spectacle, and you wouldn't be expecting it. I'm the Joker, babe. I do things with flair, with pizzazz, with finesse!"

"... Are you done?" she asked dryly, eyeing him with a hint of amusement.

"Open the damn box," he rolled his eyes at her.

She opened it to reveal a silver coiled chain, with a silver pendant hanging off of it. On the front of the pendant was a small paragraph next to a small set of footprints. The pendant was about the size of her thumb. She carefully pulled the necklace from the box, pulling the pendant closer so she could read it.

"'The years you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.'" She turned it over, finding her father's initials engraved on the back. "I don't understand..." she said, looking up at him.

Joker pulled her to the couch and into his lap, holding her close. He grabbed a tissue box from the table next to them, placing it in her lap. She gave him a puzzled look and he just sighed.

"Baby, that pendant contains your father's ashes." She furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at it, still clutched in her hand. "What?"

"I may have had Johnny break into your mom's house and take some of your father's ashes from her urn – don't worry, I had him do it while she was at work and specifically told him NOT to break anything, including the front door. She won't know anyone was there." He looked at her, examining her expression, trying to read her.

"This... this is my dad, in here?" She pointed at the pendant dumbly, tears welling up in her eyes. He nodded, kissing her cheek.

"I know that's usually a bible verse, but I remember you telling me your dad had 7 of his toes amputated and he could barely walk before he died. I figured it was... poetic. He would carry you as a child, and carried you through your hard times, and you carried him by taking care of him when he was sick. Maybe it's stupid, I don't know, I'm sorry. I crossed boundaries, didn't I?" He was beginning to panic, not used to doing sentimental, sweet and thoughtful things like this. He knew her dad was her whole world and she was hurting badly without him, and being shipped off to Arkham just a few short months after her dad died in her hands was brutal icing on the cake. He wanted her to have a piece of her dad with her every day, in some way or another, hoping it would bring her some peace.

She burst into tears and clutched his shoulders in her hands, pressing herself against him. "I don't know if this is good or bad – is this good or bad, baby?" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's good," she sobbed. "It's very good. Thank you so, so much."

He breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back, holding her tightly against him as she cried, not even bothered by the tears. He was used to them at this point, and this was the first time she was crying from _happiness. _He'd take what he could get.

"I love you," she choked out, sniffling against him. He chuckled, kissing her forehead.

"I love you, my Queen," he whispered, carefully laying them both down. "Did you have a good nap?"

She nodded, snuggling closer to him. "Let's take another one," she whispered.

He kissed her forehead again, cupping the back of her head in his hand. "Only for a little while, we have to get down to the club in a few hours – and you, my love, have to help me figure out what to do with the Doctor."

"Shit, I forgot about her," she muttered, biting her lip.

"I can't imagine how, since you jumped into a fucking vat for her."

"Yeah, yeah," she rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see.

"Can't blame me for your transformation, baby. For the record, I really do love the way you look. You're still stunning, little J."

"'Little J'... I like that," she mused.

He chuckled. "All those words, and all you heard was 'Little J.'"

She was too tired to retort, falling asleep almost instantly in his arms. He fell asleep right along with her, without her singing, for the first time in over a year.

* * *

After a nice, long, luxurious bath and shower together, Jester and Joker were all dressed up and almost ready to head down to the club. Joker was wearing a charcoal gray button up with half the buttons undone, as usual, and black pants with his black dress shoes. He didn't bother with a jacket or tie tonight, and Jester didn't mind. He had all his gold chains, bracelets, rings, and his watch on, along with his usual red lip stain. Jester wore an aqua green halter-style mini dress with a deep v in it that went just past her breasts, showing them off nicely. The halter strap was very thin, and double knotted at the nape of her neck. She had curled her purple hair, pulling a small section in the center of her hair back and teasing her hair a little to add extra volume. She had painted her lips with her burgundy lipstick and sported smoky, sultry eye makeup. She wore all three of her necklaces, all of them at perfect lengths to be shown off without overlapping each other, and her new bracelet. Her 'Joker' tattoo was clearly visible, much to Joker's delight, and she wore a pair of pastel purple pumps with pointed toes.

"You look gorgeous," Joker breathed, standing just a few feet away from her and raking his eyes over her. "Joe was right."

"Joe was right about what?" she asked, smiling brightly at him.

He stepped closer to her and kissed her cheek, taking her hand in his and lacing their fingers together. "He told me I'm a lucky man," he whispered in her ear.

She giggled, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Ready, baby?"

"Always," he answered, leading her out of the bedroom. "Come on, babies," he called.

Karma and Hades jumped off the couch and stretched, both of them yawning. "Oh, baby! I love their collars!" Jester squealed, leaning down and scratching both dogs' ears. "Oh, aren't you two just the prettiest puppies I ever did see!" She kissed each dog on the muzzle and then stood, smoothing out her dress before making her way through the wall with Joker and the dogs at her side.

"Are you ready for your debut as my Queen?" Joker asked, wrapping an arm around her waist. She nodded, biting her lip in anticipation. Tonight would be just like any other night at the club, and she knew that, but now the henchmen would know and recognize her as their lady boss, the club patrons would see her as Joker's woman, and she'd be treated with a much different kind of respect from now on. She didn't mind, but she hated attention.

They made their way to the club and everything stopped as she entered with the Joker through the main door. The dancers stopped, the patrons stopped, and the music stopped. Joker gripped her tighter, pulling her closer to his side as they made their way through the parted crowd, and she kept her chin up and her spine straight as she walked with him. She wrapped her arm around his back and he grinned down at her for a brief moment, winking at her. He escorted her carefully up the stairs to the VIP section and pulled her down into his lap as they sat in the usual booth. Once they were settled, everything in the club resumed as though nothing happened. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Joker asked her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

She smiled, slipping her hand into his shirt and running her fingers over his solid abs, enjoying the hard feel of them. "Not at all," she whispered, ducking her head under his chin. She leaned against him, her head on his chest, and enjoyed the music as it pounded around them. Johnny appeared with drinks for both of them, and she was delighted that he remembered she liked Jameson and ginger. She sipped her drink cheerfully, humming to the music and dancing a little in Joker's lap. He laughed, and she felt the rumble of it in his chest. "I love that," she whispered, cuddling closer to him with her drink in her hands.

"Love what?" he asked, looking out over the crowd, watching as always.

"The sound and feel of your laughter, and your heartbeat," she replied.

He brought a hand up to her cheek and stroked her skin with his thumb, relaxing her further. She breathed in the scent of his cologne and it made her skin tingle. Everything about him screamed 'sex appeal', and he was all hers. Only hers. She grinned at the thought, reveling in her acceptance of her feelings for him. She never thought that succumbing to her feelings and giving herself to him would be so _freeing. _She knew he really did love her – everything he had done in Arkham and up til now proved that without a doubt – the pendant with her father's ashes cemented that for her. She plucked it from her chest with her fingers, stroking it with her thumb and closing her eyes, getting lost in memories of her dad. She missed him a lot, and she couldn't help wondering if he would approve of Joke or not. Sure, he would hate the green hair, the lipstick, and the tattoos, but she knew he would be happy that Joker protected and took good care of her and treated her like a queen. She wished he could have met Joker and she could have seen them interact and bond over time. She was startled out of her thoughts when her phone rang, also jarring Joker out of his concentrated watch over the club.

She picked her phone up off the table and answered it with a grin.

"Hello, stranger," she sing-songed.

"Raven? Where the fuck are you? I went by the warehouse and it's empty, and you haven't answered your phone all day! Are you alright? What the hell happened?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she answered, shooting the Joker a wink as he stared at her questioningly.

"You sure? Where the fuck is that music coming from? Where are you?"

"I'm at the club!" she chirped. "Hold on, D.S.," she looked at the Joker and gave him her best puppy eyes. He narrowed his eyes at her, quirking a brow in question.

"What do you want?" he teased, kissing her forehead.

"Is it alright if I invite Deadshot here to hang with us?"

"Deadshot? What the fuck is a Deadshot?"

"My best friend, remember? The one who came here with me to get Tommy?"

Joker rolled his eyes and sighed, but nodded.

"Anything for you, baby," he muttered. He snapped his fingers and Johnny came over, waiting. "Johnny boy, a man named Deadshot will be coming here... make sure the dumbfucks at the door let him in when he gets here and that he is properly escorted to my booth."

Johnny simply nodded and walked away, making his way to the bouncers to make them aware of Joker's orders.

"Thank you, baby!" Jester squealed, kissing him quickly on the mouth before lifting the phone back to her ear.

"D.S.? Hello?"

"I'm here, Raven,"

"Oh, that's not my name anymore. It's a long story. Come to the club – the same one we came to before to get Tommy. It's called Smiles. Just tell the guys at the door who you are and they'll bring you right to me."

"Raven – you're with _him?"_

"Yeah, and I'm fine. Don't worry. It's a long story, I'll fill you in when you get here – and D.S... just beware, I look different. It's gonna be a shock when you see me, just so you know."

"... Alright," Deadshot sighed on the other end and she could picture him shaking his head in exasperation. "I'll be there in 20."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own or take credit for anything.**

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys are awesome. This story includes very real experiences from my own life, tweaked a little to fit the story line. Some names have been changed, others haven't. Enjoy!

**_WARNING: LEMON AHEAD_**

* * *

Deadshot and Joker stood just a few inches apart, measuring each other up while Jester stood to the side. "Are you boys done?" she drawled, rolling her eyes. Deadshot had shown up in 17 minutes, striding his way to the VIP booth after shoving the bouncers' hands off him as they tried to escort him. He had stalked right up to Joker, who carefully slid Jester out of his lap and onto the couch next to him, and stood to face off with Deadshot. Both men just stared menacingly at each other, not saying a word, the tension between them sucking the air out of the room. Karma and Hades sat on either side of Jester, curiously eyeing two of their favorite people as they stood off, unsure what to do.

Deadshot tore his eyes off the Joker's and looked at Jester. "Blink twice if you need help," he said seriously, narrowing his eyes at her.

She and the Joker both burst out laughing at that, and Jester shook her head. "Oh, D.S., I'm fine! I swear!" She grinned at him to try and drive the point home.

Deadshot still didn't look convinced, taking in Jester's new appearance. "What happened to you? Why do you look like..." he shot a glare towards Joker before turning his gaze back on her, "..._him?_"

"I was playing hero for a change, ended up in a vat of some nasty chemicals." She said it nonchalantly, giving a half shrug. "The name is Jester now."

Deadshot rubbed his hands down his face in frustration and disbelief, ignoring the way Joker was still staring at him. "This is fucking crazy," he muttered, shaking his head.

Joker laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "You _are _at my club, ol' buddy. _Everything_ here is crazy."

Deadshot glared at him. "What did you do to her? She was avoiding you last I checked, now she's here, looking just like you, with your name tattooed on her and a dog tag necklace that says 'Property of Joker'. What did you do? Is this some kind of fuckin' Stockholm Syndrome?" in a second, he had a gun drawn and pressed to Joker's forehead.

Joker rolled his eyes, folding his hands in front of him. "Jester, get your friend to put it down before he gets hurt," he snarled.

"D.S. Put it down. I mean it. I don't want either of you fighting, and I sure as shit don't want you killing him. Please, D.S. For me." She reached out and grabbed Deadshot's arm, tugging lightly at it and giving him her best puppy eyes. Deadshot sighed and lowered the gun, tucking it back into the holster in his pants.

"I don't like this," he said, not taking his eyes off of Joker's. Joker grinned at him, motioning for him to sit down.

Deadshot refused, looking at Jester. "We need to talk, kiddo," he said, motioning to the dance floor.

"You can use my office," Joker drawled, motioning Johnny over. "Johnny, show them to the office, please – and give them privacy."

Johnny nodded, motioning for Deadshot to follow him. Deadshot complied, sparing a glance at Jester as she moved towards the Joker and pressed a kiss to his mouth, grinning against his lips as he wrapped his arms around her. He could swear he heard Jester tell the Joker she loved him, and assumed he must be going just as insane as the clown himself. She finally made her way over to the office to join him, Karma and Hades in tow, with a big grin on her pretty, pale face.

As soon as the office door was shut, Joker motioned Johnny over with his hand. "What do you know about him?" he asked, taking a sip of his drink before leaning back, sprawling out comfortably on the couch. He motioned for Johnny to sit down across from him and Johnny did, leveling Joker with a serious look.

"One of the deadliest assassins in the world. Legend has it that he's never missed a shot. Expert tactician, master marksman, and skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Works for whichever side is paying the most at the time. Doesn't make exceptions whenever he takes a contract."

Joker mulled the information over in his head, nodding. "Keep an eye on him."

At that moment, one of his other henchmen came running up, out of breath and doubled over. Joker quirked a brow at him, leaning forward in his seat and grabbing the man by the scruff. "Speak," he commanded, his temper flaring. Nobody approached his booth but Johnny – he kept it that way on purpose. His other men knew better than to ever approach his booth without him beckoning them to it, and this one was bang out of line. Before the man could answer his question, Black Mask sauntered into the VIP section with two masked henchmen in tow.

"I see," Joker laughed, releasing the henchman. "Run along."

Black Mask sat down across from Joker, leaning back arrogantly and folding one leg over the other as he regarded the clown.

"Ah, Black Mask, what a _pleasure." _Joker rolled his eyes, tilting his head to the side.

"You skipped our meeting," Black Mask snapped, glaring at Joker. "Everyone showed up but you."

"I've been busy," Joker drawled, seeming bored with the man's company.

"You forget who _really_ rules Gotham, clown. Mind your tongue." Black Mask growled, leaning forward in his seat.

Joker burst out laughing, just as Jester, Deadshot and the dogs made their way out of the office and back towards the booth. Joker grinned at Jester as she made her way over to him, draping herself across his lap. She slid her hand inside his open shirt and stroked his abs with her fingertips as she eyed Black Mask. Karma and Hades sat obediently at Joker's feet, snarling and baring their long, pretty white teeth at Black Mask. "Who's this?" Jester asked, much to the Black Mask's chagrin. Joker wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his hand on her bare thigh and he smirked at her, ready to answer her question when Deadshot cut in.

"Black Mask," Deadshot supplied, sitting in the curve of the booth between the two kingpins. "He thinks he rules Gotham."

Joker grinned at Deadshot, laughing at his comment. "I was _just _getting to that part! You see, Black Mask, you _want _to rule Gotham, but you don't. Me? I don't care about ruling Gotham, but _I do._"

Deadshot, Jester, and Joker all chuckled at that while Black Mask bristled, sneering at Joker.

"I came to make you aware that we are all going to be moving on that new female assassin – she's been crossing into too many different territories, killing too many henchmen, killing too many associates, and killing way too many of our street hustlers."

"How, exactly, does this concern _me_?" Joker asked, leaning forward over Jester to meet Black Mask's eyes.

"She's been in your territory – if you don't make a move, everyone's going to start thinking you've gone soft." Black Mask tapped his chin in thought for a moment before continuing. "I think you already have – Arkham seems to have subdued you."

"_This_ fuckin' guy," Jester spat, glaring at the man. "I don't like your attitude." In the blink of an eye, she had pulled the gun Joker gave her off the table and had it aimed at Black Mask with a steady arm. Black Mask's two henchmen pulled their guns on Jester, Johnny pulled his on the two henchmen, and DeadShot was aiming one wrist gun at the henchman, the other at Black Mask. Karma and Hades were standing, hackles raised, and creeping closer to Black Mask, ready to attack him and his henchmen once Jester gave the order.

"Now, now, Jester," Joker cooed, carefully taking the gun from her. "That's no way to treat our guest." He set the gun back down on the table before eyeing Black Mask. "Call off _your_ dogs." His voice was shifting between its usual high pitch and a growl, his eyes darkening.

Black Mask motioned with his hand for his henchmen to put their guns away and they did. Johnny slid his gun back into his pants as soon as the two henchmen did, but refused to take his eyes off of them. Jester held up a hand to Karma and Hades and they sat back down at Joker's feet, still baring their teeth at the three strangers.

"Deadshot," Joker drawled, not taking his eyes off of Black Mask, "_Play_ _nice_."

Deadshot looked to Jester and she nodded. He took his guns off of the three men, glaring at Black Mask.

Black Mask ignored Deadshot and the dogs, shifting his gaze to Jester instead. "Who's this loud-mouthed bitch? You recruiting little clown cronies now, Joker? _One_ of you is bad enough."

Joker tightened his grip on Jester's waist, stopping her from lunging at Black Mask. "Well I'm just so pretty, I thought I'd bless Gotham with a female version of myself." His grin slowly faded from his face, replaced with a murderous look and dark eyes. "You would do well to mind _your _tongue when you talk about my Queen - especially in _my_ club," Joker said calmly, sliding his free hand up Jester's thigh and past the hem of her dress, stroking the soft skin of her inner thigh with his fingers. "Or I will cut it right out of your ugly head."

Black Mask chuckled at that, slowly standing from his seat, wary of the two giant dogs that watched his every move. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the Joker's growl.

"Call another meeting – we'll be there." He made a shooing motion at Black Mask, leaning back in his seat.

Black Mask said nothing, striding away with his henchmen in tow, leaving the club.

Once he was gone, Jester whipped around in Joker's lap and went to strike him in her fury. He caught her wrist right before her hand connected with his face and his eyes flashed black for a moment. "Don't," he hissed, ignoring the nasty look Deadshot was fixing him with. "Let me explain."

She scowled at him but did as he said, relaxing back into his lap, draping herself over him with an arm around his neck and her free hand sliding back into his shirt.

"You know I'd never let anyone disrespect you, baby." Joker kissed her forehead, cupping her face in his hand as he looked into her eyes. "That's why we're going to that meeting – so I can make a very _public _example."

"I like that idea," Deadshot chimed in, his face contorted with rage. "Count me in."

Joker grinned at Deadshot. "Did we just become best friends?" he joked, laughing.

Deadshot shook his head in exasperation. "Sure, whatever man. All I care about is Jester." He shifted his gaze to Jester and she gave him a small smile, reaching out to pat his arm. Both dogs jumped up on the couch and sat between Joker and Deadshot, rolling on their backs and giving up their bellies to both men, enjoying the attention they were now able to get since Black Mask and his men were gone. Deadshot noticed the way the dogs protected Joker and respected the man, and this show of submission from both of them was further proof that he wasn't so bad. He knew the dogs as well as Jester did - they didn't submit to anyone, much like their owner, and they were extremely good judges of character. If they had accepted Joker and submit to him, perhaps Joker _could _be trusted.

The rest of the night was calm. Deadshot and Joker talked, discussing their plans for the meeting and Jester's work. Joker made sure that Deadshot would be with Jester on every single job she did from now on to protect her against any ambushes. At first, Joker wanted Jester to stop her work altogether, not trusting any of her jobs or client meetings from this point on, but she stubbornly refused and he let it go, forcing her to compromise. One yelling match and several smashed drinking glasses later, Jester finally – albeit begrudgingly – agreed to also take Doctor Quinzel with her and Deadshot agreed to train the woman. Deadshot and Joker seemed to warm up to each other a little, just enough to tolerate each other and not kill each other on sight from then on. Deadshot also made it crystal clear he wouldn't be accepting any more contracts so he would be available 24/7 to help protect Jester, which was a very, very big deal. Jester was thankful for the agreement between the two men, not wanting to be stuck between her lover and her best friend and partner in crime.

* * *

"Doctor Quinzel!" Joker burst into the room she had been kept in with Jester at his side, startling the woman as she read a book.

"Are ya trying to give me a heart attack, Mistah J?!" she shrieked, a high-pitch to her voice accompanied by a Brooklyn accent.

"Holy shit..." Jester muttered, raking her eyes over the woman. Her skin was paper white like hers and Joker's, her eyes were the same blue they always were, and her hair was nearly white. She was almost completely unrecognizable, and she had a certain... _edge _to her now. Jester kind of liked it. She looked closer at the woman's hair, noticing that half of it was different colors. One half was pink at the bottom, the other was blue at the bottom.

"Like what ya see?" Doctor Quinzel winked at Jester and smacked her gum, grinning at the woman devilishly.

"Actually, yes... I do." Jester shrugged at Joker's glare. "I'm being honest!"

"What's with the voice, Doc?" Joker asked, raising a brow at the woman.

"Oh, I prefer to be called Harley now... Harley Quinn. Remember, Mistah J? You said my name makes you smile. You said it sounds like 'Harley Quinn', like the clown, 'Harlequin.'"

Joker rolled his eyes. "Oh, of course. How could I forget?" He folded his arms over his chest and shot the woman a hard look. "Listen up, Harley... you're gonna be working with Jester now. You'll train with Deadshot, and your primary purpose will be to keep my Queen safe and _alive _by any means necessary. Understand?"

Harley mulled it over, chewing her gum loudly and rolling around on her bed. "Yeah, alright," she finally chirped. "If it gets me outta this room, I'll do anythin'. Anythin' to make ya happy, Mistah J!"

Joker nodded, turning to leave, but Harley spoke again.

"Uh, who _are _ya, anyways?" She was looking right at Jester, a puzzled look on her face.

"Picture me with black hair, bright green eyes, and tan skin," Jester drawled, cocking her head to the side.

Harley looked hard at her, taking in the 'Joker' tattoo on Jester's chest, her dog tag, her purple hair, paper white skin and her aqua green eyes, no doubt picturing her the way she used to look. "Golly!" she yelled, pouncing off the bed and coming close to Jester, staring right in her face. "You're the broad that saved me!"

Jester sighed, nodding. "Which is why I look like this now, yeah."

"I think ya look great. Personally, I love my changes. We're more unique this way, ya know? I like your hair." She reached out and lightly tugged at a chunk of Jester's hair.

Joker braced himself, waiting for Jester to strike the woman or maybe even shoot her, but her reaction was neither of those. He was surprised when she laughed, reaching out and running her fingers through one of Harley's pigtails. "Yeah, I like yours too." The compliment was genuine, sending Joker reeling.

"Okay, that's enough. I don't like the way you two are looking at each other. Let's go, baby," he wrapped an arm around Jester's waist and tugged her closer to his side, escorting her out of the room. Before the door shut behind them, Harley's voice rang out one last time. "See ya later, doll face! Can't wait to uh, _partner up _with ya!"

"Yeah, that's enough," Joker growled, nearly dragging Jester down the hallway as she giggled.

"Would ya look at that, baby? Throw her in a vat of chemicals and she completely transforms! White skin, white hair, Brooklyn accent... and now she's obsessed with _me_ instead of you!"

"Shut up," he muttered, pulling her through the opening in the wall that lead to their apartment. "Don't tell me you _like_ the broad now."

"I like it when pretty girls compliment me," her voice was silky, enticing.

"Don't," he warned, putting a finger up in front of her face. "You're _mine._"

She pouted, giving him puppy eyes. "But baby, can't I have any toys?"

He snarled, his eyes flashing for a second before he grabbed her by her hips, pulling her body flush against his. "I'll say it one last time... you're _mine. _I don't share, Jester. Don't fuck with me."

"You're no fun," she retorted, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'll show you fun..." his voice was a deep growl and it sent chills down her spine.

She grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

He didn't answer her, opting to drag her to the bedroom instead as she giggled.

* * *

The meeting came up faster than they expected, taking place just a week after Black Mask's unannounced visit at Smiles. The week leading up to the meeting was uneventful. Harley trained with Deadshot, went on jobs with him and Jester, and all was going well. It turned out that Harley was a pretty damn good shot and she was pretty great at close range with a baseball bat that she now carried everywhere she went. She and Jester got along pretty well, despite their brief history as enemies. Harley was no longer in love or obsessed with the Joker, much to Jester and Joker's delight, and she seemed to get along with Deadshot too. She wasn't actually too annoying, despite her new voice and accent, and she stayed on the second floor along with Deadshot in the club in separate guest rooms. At night, Harley and Jester would share a cage and dance together, enticing men in the club to spend much more money, which the Joker seemed quite happy with. So happy, in fact, that he didn't mind when they danced on each other and things got a little... _hot _between them.

"Here," Jester dangled the keys to the '87 GN in front of Deadshot, grinning at him. "She's all yours."

"You're out of your mind," he shook his head at her but took the keys anyway. "That's your baby."

"Not anymore," she countered, pointing at the GNX. "That's my baby now."

He chuckled. "Yeah, definitely an upgrade. You sure about this?" He raised his eyebrows at her and she nodded enthusiastically.

"One hundred percent, bud. Just be good to her – don't beat up on her, alright?"

He laughed, nodding, and strode over to the car's passenger side, calling for Harley to get her ass to the car.

Joker watched the exchange in amusement, waiting patiently for his Queen to come to him. "You ready, baby?" he asked, raking his eyes over her. She was wearing all her necklaces – she never took them off, ever – her black 'Property of Joker' v-neck t-shirt, a pair of charcoal cargo pants and black chucks. She had on her shoulder holster complete with her two guns, her new black tactical belt – she gave her old one to Harley who was more than happy to take it – and had another gun that Joker had given her tucked into her ankle holster strapped around her leg. Her hair was down, curled at the bottom and cascading over her back and shoulders, and her makeup was dark as usual, with her burgundy lipstick lightly coating her lips. She was all business tonight, fully prepared to publicly step into her role as the Joker's Queen in front of all the other villains and criminals of Gotham. Joker was wearing his gold suit with a black button up underneath, half unbuttoned as always to show off his chest and his tattoos. He had all of his jewelry on and a gold tie draped loosely over his shoulders.

Jester nodded, grinning at him. "Let's go start a war," she crooned as he opened her door for her and ushered her into her seat. They laughed together as they took off towards the meeting place – an abandoned warehouse on one of the Joker's properties, right by the one Jester had been living in. It was the perfect location – Joker's territory, Joker's property, and right by the water. Cleanup would be easy.

The four of them pulled up to the warehouse, parking right in front, and Joker handed Jester, Deadshot, and Harley each a mask before they entered the building. "Scarecrow might be inclined to use his fear gas," he explained, eyeing them all seriously. "He's not the only one in there with little tricks up his sleeve – pay attention. And Deadshot - keep away from Poison Ivy. She's a temptress with poisonous lips." With that, they all entered the warehouse, taking in their surroundings and the gathered crowd at the long, oval shaped table.

"What do we have here?" Joker's voice was silky smooth and taunting as it boomed over the chatter in the room. "Let's see..." he began circling the table and all its occupants like a predator, crouched over slightly and growling low in his throat as he moved.

"Harvey Scary Face, Scaredy-crow, Walking Ficus, Batman's Pet..." he rolled his eyes at The Riddler, not even bothering to address him before continuing, "Vampire-Guy-That-Just-Won't-Die, Mister Self-Mutilation, and the man himself... Big Ugly." He stopped behind Black Mask, slamming his hands down on the man's shoulders. "Where are the rest of the degenerates?" he grinned, tapping his chin with one finger, "Oh, did I forget to let them out of time-out when I broke out? Oops!"

"That's cute, Joker. Tell me, did you all come in a clown car?" Two-Face was glaring at Joker, his hands balling into fists on the table top.

Joker released Black Mask's shoulders and he sauntered over to Two-Face, looming over the man as he grinned down at him. "_I'm_ the one who makes the jokes around here, Harvey... or is it Two-Face? Which face am I talking to – the ugly one, or the scary one? I can never tell..."

Two-Face didn't answer, choosing to stare Joker down instead. Joker laughed, making his way back over to Jester, Harley, and Deadshot. He motioned them over to the table, taking one of the two empty seats between The Riddler and Catwoman. Jester draped herself across his lap, throwing an arm around his shoulders, and Deadshot sat beside them with Harley perching herself happily in his lap. "Tell me," Joker started, looking at The Riddler. "Do you and Scary Face ever tire of living in my shadow as cheap imitations of me?"

"That's enough, clown!" Black Mask snapped, slamming his fists down on the table.

"Oooh, someone's touchy today!" Joker sing-songed, his laughter echoing in the room.

"Why are we here _again?" _Poison Ivy drawled, crossing her arms over her chest. Catwoman nodded her agreement, staring at Black Mask.

"I could be experimenting right now..." Scarecrow muttered, sitting in his chair with perfect posture.

"We're here because Joker was too _busy _for the last one," Black Mask was irritated at having to explain himself. "If we're going to go after this little woman, we need to formulate a plan."

"I never agreed to going after her," Catwoman said, glaring at Black Mask. "Actually, I _do_ recall saying I like the work she's doing, and I'm in full support."

"Which I seconded," Poison Ivy interjected, crossing her legs in her seat and lacing her hands together over her knee.

"She is like a walking version of my own fear gas – people are terrified of her. It works for me. I have no problem with her." Scarecrow shrugged, steepling his fingers together on the tabletop. "She gets my vote."

"Who are _they_?" Ra's Al Ghul cut in, pointing at Harley, Jester, and Deadshot.

"How the _fuck_ does a room full of rogues not know who I am?" Deadshot sighed, shaking his head. "For 'super-villains', y'all are pretty damn stupid."

Joker burst out laughing at that, along with Jester and Harley, earning them glares from nearly everyone at the table. Once Joker finally calmed down and contained himself, he grinned, stroking a finger down Jester's cheek. "This," he pressed a kiss to her other cheek, making eye contact with Black Mask as he did so, "is my Queen, my muse, my other half," his voice was rising with each word, building up to her introduction, "the one – the only – the Clown Queen of Crime _and_ Gotham – _Jester!_" He shouted her name, his hair falling out of place around his pale face as he threw his head back in glee. Jester winked at Black Mask and wiggled her fingers at him in a wave.

"Hiya," she giggled obnoxiously, pressing a smacking kiss to Joker's cheek.

"This is Harley Quinn," Joker grinned at Harley and she snapped her teeth at the occupants of the table, letting loose a wicked bout of laughter of her own.

"Deadshot," Deadshot provided, glaring around the table. "The assassin, since y'all idiots don't seem to know who the fuck you're paying half the time."

"_You're_ Deadshot?" Catwoman seemed surprised.

Deadshot simply nodded, lazily draping one arm over the arm of his chair and wrapping the other around Harley's waist.

"I've got a contract for you," Ra's Al Ghul piped up again, leaning forward and shooting an evil grin at Deadshot. "I'll give you 2 million to kill the Joker."

Deadshot laughed, joined by Harley, Joker, and Jester. "That's a good one," Deadshot mused, grinning back at Ra's. "Unfortunately, I'm no longer taking contracts. You'll have to do your own dirty work."

"You're no longer taking contracts?" Two-Face asked, quirking both brows up at the assassin. "That's unheard of."

"Consistent money is better than sporadic money," Deadshot shrugged, not going any further with his explanation.

"So you're saying you work for the clown?" The Riddler asked, incredulous.

"He works _with _me," Joker supplied, winking at the Riddler. "Aren't you supposed to be a genius or something?"

The Riddler glared at Joker and Joker just laughed. "Can we get on with it? We have things to do, people to kill... busy, busy, busy!" Joker wrapped his arms tighter around Jester, shifting her in his lap so her ass was snug against his crotch. She grinned wickedly at him and he winked at her, stroking her side with his fingers.

"I say there's nothing to get on with," Catwoman said dryly. "I'm not killing a fellow woman – especially not one who is helping women."

"Neither am I. She's got my backing," Poison Ivy said, examining her nails.

"I just want to get back to my experiments," Scarecrow sighed, bored with the meeting.

"I'll do it," Mr. Zsasz growled, a gleeful look on his marred face. "I'm good at killing, I've got room for more cuts! I haven't gotten to play in awhile..."

"Quiet down, you leper," Joker drawled, rolling his head to crack his neck. "You're giving me a headache."

Black Mask ignored the tension building between Mr. Zsasz and the Joker and cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "All in favor of killing the bitch," he called.

Mr. Zsasz and Two-Face were the only ones to raise their hands, much to Joker's surprise.

Black Mask growled. "All in favor of just letting the woman run rampant and continue killing our money makers?"

Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, The Riddler, Ra's Al Ghul, Joker, Deadshot, Jester, and Harley raised their hands.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Black Mask seethed. "Riddler! What's your reason?"

"Well, to be honest... she hasn't done a damn thing to me, and I don't _care." _Riddler shrugged, kicking his feet up on the table.

"And you?" Black Mask was looking at Ra's Al Ghul expectantly.

Ra's Al Ghul eyed the man with a hard look, his words slow and deliberate. "She's doing good work – she's helping my cause. Who am I to stop her from slowly eradicating the filth of Gotham?"

Black Mask dragged his hands down his face and looked to Deadshot. "Even you? Isn't she competition to you?"

"She and I have a partnership," Deadshot said nonchalantly with a straight face, acting surprised at the looks of shock on the other villains' faces.

"What?!" Black Mask shouted, standing and slamming his hands down on the table. "Impossible! You know who she is?"

"Yeah," Deadshot confirmed, grinning at Black Mask. "And I'm not tellin' you _shit_."

"Oh, Deadshot, you _must _introduce me!" Poison Ivy cooed, leaning forward excitedly. "I'd love to meet her!"

"I would too," Catwoman agreed, smiling brightly. "She sounds amazing."

"This isn't a fucking fan club!" Black Mask shouted, pulling out his gun. "Next person to mention the stupid cunt is eating a bullet!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Joker chided, wagging his finger at Black Mask. "That's not very nice, Big Ugly."

"Shut up, clown!" Black Mask seethed, stalking towards Joker. Joker remained calm and cool, his trademark grin plastered on his face, and didn't flinch when Black Mask aimed the gun at his head.

"Have I struck a nerve?" Joker asked innocently, cocking his head to the side. "You seem upset."

Jester took her cue and slipped out of Joker's lap, brushing Black Mask's gun to the side and out of her way as if it was an annoyance rather than a threat, and the distraction gave Joker enough time to pull his guns. He quickly shot Black Mask in both kneecaps, forcing the man to the ground in his agony. Black Mask screamed, the noise blood-curdling, and Joker laughed so loud the sound drowned out Black Mask's howls of pain.

"Now you'll _always _kneel at my Queen's feet!" he was cackling, guns still in his hands, ignoring the looks from everyone else at the table. Deadshot smiled, Harley was laughing hysterically, and Jester was grinning at everyone.

"Lesson of the day: don't call me a cunt. Or a bitch. Right, baby?" She looked back at Joker and he shot her a wink.

"That's right," he crooned, sliding his guns back into their holsters.

"And _you_, Zsasz," Jester pulled her gun from her holster, locked and loaded and aimed right at his head. "You've been at the top of my list for a _long_ time, you sick fuck." With that, she pulled the trigger, putting a hole right between Mr. Zsasz's eyes. He dropped to the ground, dead as can be, right at Ra's feet. She unloaded the rest of the clip on him in her rage, spitting on him once she was done. She lifted her eyes from Zsasz's body on the ground and eyed the rest of the table's occupants. "Does anyone else have a problem?"

Joker was cackling behind her, along with Harley, and Deadshot was grinning – proud of his best friend and her spine of steel.

"Two-Face, you raised your hand in the interest of killing me, didn't you?" she cocked her head to the side, pulling her other loaded gun on Two-Face and mock-pouting. "It'd be a shame if I had to shoot you in _both _faces, wouldn't it?"

Two-Face looked down at the floor, taking in Mr. Zsasz's corpse and the writhing, screaming Black Mask with mangled kneecaps. He looked back up at Jester and a grin spread across his faces just before he burst out laughing. Everyone else at the table, including Ra's and Scarecrow, laughed and the tension in the room seemed to dissipate a little.

"I like you," Two-Face said, winking at her. "You've got spunk, kid. Tell me, why do you do it?"

"Why? Because the cops, the Judicial system, Commissioner fucking Gordon and the Batman himself don't do it – because the men I kill won't stop until they're dead. So I stop them... _permanently_." Her expression hardened, a dangerous glint in her darkening eyes. "As long as I don't get a call about any of you," she made a point of meeting the eyes of every man in attendance, "we won't have any problems... unless, of course, you try to hurt my J or my friends here." She motioned with a nod towards Joker, Harley, and Deadshot. "Understood?"

Ra's Al Ghul clapped, slowly, and stood from his chair. "Oh, I like you _very_ much, little girl," he cooed. "Your work is divine! I heard about the man in the car, the one you strangled with a garrote – medieval!"

She smirked, making a little bow. "Thank you, thank you," she said theatrically, eating up the praise. "And you two ladies – I like you," she winked at Poison Ivy and Catwoman, producing two Joker cards of her own from her pocket and flinging them at the women. "Call me anytime, you can hang with Harley and I and we can all have some _fun_."

"A question," Scarecrow was eyeing her with interest, his head tilted a little. "Are you aware of how feared you are? If so... why expose yourself to us? Part of the reason why they fear you so is because they do not know who you are – you are, in essence, the _boogeyman_. Why give that up?"

"You raise a good point," she agreed, making her way slowly over to the man. "And here is mine – psychological warfare. You're familiar with it, _Doctor_ _Crane_." She grinned at him. "I _want _them to know that a small, seemingly weak, clown-looking woman is scaling rooftops, lurking in dark corners, and hiding in their backseats late at night with an arsenal of weapons to kill them however I choose. I want them to know that all 5'2", 108 pounds of me is capable of sawing their head off with a garrote in my rage. I want these big, tough, _scary_ men to fear the fucking poster child of their victims." She perched herself on the arm of his chair, slowly snaking an arm around his shoulders as she pulled his face closer to hers with her fingertips, her gaze boring right into his.

"I want them to sleep with one eye open at night, knowing I'm small enough to crawl in through their cracked windows, knowing that I'm small enough to hide in the backseats of their cars without them noticing, knowing that I'm small enough to slip through doggy doors and vents and crawlspaces. I want them to be afraid to go to work, to go to the store, to go to the mall, to get in their cars, or to go home. I want them to fear the kind of woman that they brutalize. I want them to know that women are not weak - that even a small, tiny little thing like me is fully capable of strangling them with my tiny hands until I see the light leave their fucking eyes." She stroked Scarecrow's chin with the tip of her finger, dragging it down to his throat and quickly flicking it across his skin in a slicing motion.

"Psychological warfare, indeed," Scarecrow agreed, grinning back at her. "I think you've just become my favorite person, little Jester."

"She's mine, Scaredy-crow. Read the shirt," Joker drawled, kicking Black Mask as hard as he could in the ribs on his side of the table. The man's howls started up again, annoying everyone in the room.

"For Christ's sake, just fucking kill him already!" Two-Face snarled, putting his hands over his ears. "I can't hear my own thoughts over the noise!"

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill him – I just wanted to hurt him really, _really _bad. You see, Ugly here -" he kicked the man again, grinning at the sound of his ribs breaking, "- came to _my_ club unannounced and uninvited a week ago and called _my_ Queen a 'loud-mouthed bitch' – Isn't that right, you _dumb fuck_?!"

Several more kicks to Black Masks's ribs caused the man's screams to become louder, piercing the ears of everyone in the room. Joker's eyes went black and he pulled a gun out, shooting the man 6 times in non-lethal areas – his arms, his legs, his feet, his stomach. "You're fucking bleeding on my Italian _shoes!_" he snarled, kicking the man in the stomach, right where a fresh bullet wound was. "You're _ruining_ them!"

"J!" Jester called, getting up from her perch on Scarecrow's chair. The man's eyes followed her as she walked, as well as everyone else's, in anticipation of what she'd do with the unhinged clown. She carefully approached him and cupped his face in her hands, pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. "Hi baby," she cooed, nuzzling her nose against his. "It's me!" His eyes flashed with a hint of blue but quickly switched back to black. He had succumbed to the Madness. She knew what she'd have to do to stop him, but she had never sang in front of people and her stomach was in knots at the thought of it. Joker wouldn't let up on his assault on Black Mask, and the rest of the occupants in the room actually looked a little nervous at this point.

"You have to," Deadshot whispered. "You gotta do it, Jester. He's not gonna come back if you don't. You've got a beautiful voice, I promise. Just pretend nobody's here. Pretend we're singing in the car. I got you."

Deadshot pulled out Jester's phone and unlocked it, knowing her password, and scrolled through her music. "I got it," he said, giving her a reassuring grin as he set the phone down and let the song play.

"What the hell is going on?" The Riddler asked, his head swiveling around the room.

"Shut up," Harley snarled, putting up a hand to silence him as she smiled at Jester, hoping to encourage her. She heard aboutthe singing, and she knew about the 'Songbird' nickname, but she'd never heard Jester sing and wanted to experience it – especially since it seemed to be the only thing that calmed Joker, and it was the very thing that made the cold-blooded, psychotic clown fall in love with her.

Jester took a deep breath, turning her back to everyone at the table and closing her eyes, letting the intro of the song calm her before she began to sing along to it.

"_Baby stay with me, I feel it happening,_

_I guarantee, with every inch of me,_

_Tonight I'll sleep with demons in my hair that talk to me,_

_It's only just a dream..._

_Baby, stay here,_

_The whispers in the trees are getting near,_

_You're everything I need to bear this fear,_

_The demons in my bed - they're always here,_

_It's only just a dream..._

_Baby I'd rather stay inside your dream,_

_If I could disappear beneath the leaves."_

By the time the song was finished and she opened her eyes, Joker was calm – blue eyed and sitting in a chair, watching her with an expression she couldn't decipher. Harley and Deadshot were whooping and clapping, along with Catwoman and Poison Ivy, and even Two-Face, Ra's and Scarecrow politely applauded her.

"Bravo! Beautiful!" Poison Ivy gushed. "Absolutely beautiful! Beautiful woman, beautiful voice, beautiful heart... oh, Joker, I don't know how you landed this one but you better not fuck it up!"

Joker rolled his eyes and growled, putting his hands up. "Got it, got it, _got it_."

Catwoman chuckled. "Just so you know, Miss Jester... if Joker ever fucks up bad enough, we'll take you." She motioned to herself and Poison Ivy and winked at Jester. Harley slung an arm around Jester's shoulders and blew a bubble with her gum before loudly popping it. "I got first dibs," she sing-songed, winking back at the other two women.

"Most feared _and_ most enticing woman in Gotham..." Scarecrow was muttering, afraid of the Joker's wrath.

Joker waved him off, pulling Jester down into his lap. Black Mask had finally passed out from all the pain and was slowly bleeding out on the floor. Joker pointed down at the maimed man and looked Jester in the eye. "What do you wanna do with him? Your call, baby. He disrespected _you." _

"Feed him to the fucking fish," she scowled down at the man, rage flashing in her aqua green eyes for a moment.

"Great minds think alike, princess," Joker whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her throat. "Let's go."

"Before you go..." Scarecrow's voice stopped the foursome as they got to the door and they turned around. "I'd like to offer my _services _if you ever need them."

"Thanks!" Jester chirped, smiling at him. Joker simply nodded, leaning back against the door with his hands in his pockets. "Any other interruptions, or can we get the fuck outta here?"

"We're offering ours, too," Poison Ivy said, motioning to herself and Catwoman.

"Batsy's pet? Yeah, that's fucking _likely_," Joker glared at Catwoman, and she glared back.

"It just so happens that I think she's doing a good thing, which means I'll keep her off Batman's radar. Calm down, clown. Not everyone's out to get you. Sometimes people just want to help."

"I appreciate it," Jester cut in, smiling at both women. "A lot."

She waved at everyone before making her way out of the warehouse and to the purple Lamborghini. Johnny and the other boys were waiting outside, right on time, and Joker thrust his thumb back towards the warehouse. "Fish food," he said, reaching out and opening Jester's door for her. She got in, smiling brightly at him, and he pressed a kiss to her lips before he closed her door and made his way around to the driver's side. "Buckle up, baby," he cooed, pinching her cheek. "Wouldn't want my Queen getting all banged up."

* * *

"I'm so proud of you, baby," Joker whispered in Jester's ear as she straddled him in their booth, dancing slowly on his lap to one of her favorite songs.

Harley was in a cage by herself and Deadshot was watching her intensely – Jester caught him and she smirked, happy that two of her friends seemed to have a little thing forming between them. She wouldn't comment on it – Deadshot was a lot like her, he'd cut and run if she called him out. She had to let things play out naturally without pushing or teasing him or it would never happen.

"I did a good job, huh?" she winked at Joker, pressing a quick kiss to his throat. She caught the low groan that escaped him and rolled her hips into his. "Naughty, naughty boy!" she scolded, trailing her finger down his bare chest.

"You did, princess. That was the perfect way to claim your title as Gotham's Queen of Crime." He trailed his fingers up her sides, stroking the bare skin of her midriff. She had changed into a strapless black bandage-style crop top and a mini white and black bandage miniskirt with her black, strappy pointed toe heels. He loved the outfit on her, and once she got in the cage with Harley, the patrons would love it too. He was thrilled that his name was clear as day on her chest for the world to see. "It was also the perfect way to expose yourself – looks like your exposure earned you way more allies than enemies. It went better than I expected."

"Mmm, I was thinking of taking Catwoman and Poison Ivy on a job with me and Harley and giving Deadshot a day off... I wanna see what they can do." She gripped the collar of his button up as she rolled her hips on his lap, moving in a slow, sultry circle like a snake uncoiling itself. Joker couldn't take his eyes off her as she moved, reaching up to cup her face and teasingly brushing his thumb across her bottom lip. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice coming out in a rasp.

"Yeah," she whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to his pulse point. "What do you think?"

He simply nodded, letting his head fall back against the cushion as she kissed his throat and moved against him. "You're gonna get it tonight, baby. Don't say I didn't warn you." She grinned at his threat, purposely rubbing her ass against his stiffening cock. "That's what I'm hoping for," she crooned, waiting for him to look at her before throwing her head back and exposing her throat as she moved, her curls falling down her shoulders and her back in a purple waterfall. "God dammit," he hissed, tempted to rip her clothes off right then and there. She felt his hands moving up towards her breasts and grabbed them, pushing them back down. "Down, boy," she whispered in his ear, getting off his lap and heading to the cage Harley was in.

She was escorted by Johnny, as always, who had become much friendlier with her lately. "Just do me a favor," Johnny said, looking her in the eye. "Don't give any of these assholes heart attacks – I don't wanna be cleaning up the bodies later." She laughed, squeezing his shoulder as he carefully, and politely, escorted her up the steps to the cage and into it, closing it behind her.

Harley turned around and squealed, happy to see her naughtier half. She was wearing sparkly red crop top with bright blue, sparkling boyshorts that just barely covered her ass cheeks. She had fishnet stockings on underneath, complete with stiletto heels – both peep-toed, one red and one blue. "My, my, aren't you just good enough to eat?" she teased, giving Jester a light spank. Jester bit her bottom lip and winked at her, threading her fingers through Harley's curled hair. "Let's knock 'em dead!" Harley squealed, gripping Jester by the hips and slowly, deliberately, slinking down her body and popping her ass as she hit the ground. She slowly slithered back up Jester's body, trailing her nails along Jester's thighs and bent over in front of Jester, flicking her tongue out and licking a slow line up her bare, flat tummy. The men in the crowd went wild, whistling, whooping, and shouting.

Jester and Harley grinned at each other and decided to up the ante. Jester cupped her hands around her mouth and called to the DJ. "Yo Nate!" Nate looked at her and she winked at him. "Put my song on!" He gave her a thumbs up and all of a sudden, one of Jester's favorite songs was pounding around them and she let the alcohol, the bass, the lyrics, and Harley's seduction guide and control her movements.

"Naughty girl!" Harley giggled, snapping her teeth and barking at Jester. Jester grabbed her by the back of her neck and pulled her closer, sliding one leg between Harley's as she ground on her, nice and slow, flipping her hair as she moved. Harley wrapped an arm around her waist, gripping her by the ass, and fisted the other in her hair. "Let's give 'em what they came for," Harley whispered in Jester's ear, sending shivers down her spine. Jester prayed the Joker didn't notice the moan that escaped Jester as Harley touched her and whispered to her – she was always so turned on by the other female clown, especially on club nights like this, and she knew Joker would kill her if she ever acted on it. He allowed them to dance like this to make more money, so she got away with what she could in the cage.

"_Kelly won't kiss my friend Cassandra,_

_Jessica won't play ball,_

_Mandy won't share her friend Miranda,_

_Doesn't anybody live at all?_

_Amanda won't leave me empty handed,_

_Got her number from a bathroom stall,_

_Brandy just got way too much baggage,_

_And that shit just gets old..._

_But I got a girl who can put on a show,_

_The dollar decides how far you can go,_

_And she wraps those hands around that pole,_

_She licks those lips and off we go,_

_She takes it off nice and slow,_

_Because that's porn star dancin',_

_She don't play nice, she makes me beg,_

_She drops that dress around her legs,_

_And I'm sittin' right by the stage for this,_

_Porn star dancin',_

At this point, Harley and Jester were on their knees, facing each other as they moved to the music. Harley yipped at Jester and snapped her teeth at her and Jester stroked Harley's face with her thumb, making a show of tracing the other woman's bottom lip with it. Harley played along, flicking the tip of her tongue out and licking Jester's thumb before sucking it into her mouth and successfully giving every guy watching one hell of a stiffy.

Jester grabbed Harley by the throat, pulling her up with her from the floor, and spun her around, running her hand along Harley's spine and pushing her upper body down so her ass was sticking up in the air. She made eye contact with the crowd surrounding them and winked, shooting them all a big grin before playfully slapping Harley's ass. She didn't stop there – she leaned down, pressing her crotch against Harley's ass, and wrapped one hand around Harley's throat as she slid her other hand up Harley's stomach and playfully kneaded her breasts. She felt eyes on her, burning into her skull, and she knew Joker was watching them closely. She knew Deadshot was too. What she didn't know was how Joker would react to this – she hadn't groped Harley so belligerently before tonight.

Harley had been moaning at the contact, her hands on the ground and her lips parted as she faced the floor. Jester fisted a hand in her hair and yanked her back up, pulling her close to her body before nipping at her throat and shoulder. Harley ground her ass against Jester, reaching behind her to wrap her arms around Jester's neck as Jester gripped her hips, matching Harley's sway with her own.

_Your body's lightin' up the room,_

_I want a naughty girl like you,_

_There's nothing hotter than a..._

_Stacy's gonna save herself for marriage,_

_But that's just not my style,_

_She's got a pair that's nice to stare at,_

_But I want Girls Gone Wild,_

_But I know a place where there's always a show, _

_The dollar decides how far you can go,_

_And she wraps those hands around that pole,_

_She licks those lips and off we go,_

_She takes it off nice and slow,_

_Because that's porn star dancin',_

_She don't play nice, she makes me beg,_

_She drops that dress around her legs,_

_And I'm sittin' right by the stage for this,_

_Porn star dancin,_

They were face-to-face now, grinding against each other and maintaining eye contact, the chemistry between them enough to spark a god damn fire. Jester grabbed Harley by the back of her neck and Harley fisted her hands in Jester's hair, each woman pulling the other closer until they were kissing as they danced together in the cage. The crowd went wild, getting louder as Harley and Jester's tongues met, battling each other for dominance and tasting each other. They ran their hands all over each others' bodies, squeezing each other's asses and gripping each other by the throat, face, hair, hips, and thighs.

_Your body's lightin' up the room,_

_I want a naughty girl like you,_

_Let's throw a party just for two,_

_You know those normal girls won't do,_

_They won't do, I need a girl that's kinda frisky,_

_Drinkin' with the fellas, takin' shots and getting tipsy,_

_We always wanna party 'cause she's sexy as hell,_

_And if I ever get in trouble, bailin' me outta jail,_

_'Cause she a stone cold stunna, hotta than the summer,_

_When she step up in the club, every man and woman want her,_

_She makes me wanna get a stripper pole up in my home,_

_'Cause her porn star dancin' got me in the zone..."_

When the song was over, Harley and Jester were panting and took a moment to catch their breath before bowing for their audience and excusing themselves. They made their way to the VIP booth, both drunk, giggling and high off the adrenaline from their dance – at one point, they had even gotten on the pole and pulled some basic tricks they knew to rile the crowd up. They stopped short at the murderous look on Joker's face, his cane between his legs as he sat forward in his seat and his hands folded over it.

"Hi baby," Jester's voice shook a little but she powered through it, deciding to face this head-on. "Somethin' wrong? You didn't like our dance?"

His eyes flashed black for a second and she felt a chill run down her spine. "Oh, everyone in the club sure liked it. Tell me, baby, did _you_ like it?"

It was a trap, and she knew it. If she said she didn't, he'd call her out for lying and he'd lose his temper. If she told the truth and said she liked it, she ran the risk of him losing his temper anyway, or he might let her off the hook. She took a deep breath and straightened her spine, lifting her chin and showing him she wasn't going to back down.

"I did," she said confidently, looking him right in the eye.

"I appreciate the honesty, my little Jester," he said in a deceptively calm voice. "Come to the office with me, let's have a chat."

Deadshot seemed to understand what was about to happen and stood to intervene but Jester put her hand up, shaking her head. "Hang out with Harls," she said cheerily, winking at them both before making her way to the office.

* * *

"Are you _trying _to piss me off, songbird?" Joker snapped at her as soon as the office door was closed behind them, his eyes flashing black again.

"I'm sorry," Jester said, looking him in the eye. "I took it too far, I know."

"Too far? _Too far_? Your fucking tongue was down her throat and you were practically fucking her in the cage!" His voice was high and gruff which was usually a sign that he was about to lose his temper. He began to pace, running his fingers through his hair. "Tell me, Jester, what should I do with you?"

"What?" she asked, confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

He stopped pacing and snapped his gaze over to hers, his eyes significantly darker. "Do I fuck you into submission, or do I drop you and ship you and Harley off to live a happy little fucking life together - away from me?"

"I know you said you don't share... I just don't understand why you're so angry about this. It's just Harley, it's all in good fun. It's harmless flirting." She wasn't trying to goad him, she was desperate to understand.

"Harmless flirting? No, that's not '_harmless_ _flirting_', songbird. It's in your eyes – you want to fuck her... _desperately._"

She met his gaze but didn't say anything, knowing better than to lie to him at this point. "I don't know what to say, J."

"Am I not satisfying you? What makes you want her so badly?" his eyes were pale blue at the moment as he sat down at the head of the table, watching her.

"Baby, you're definitely satisfying me! It's not about that, it's just... I don't know, I guess it's just like an itch I can't scratch." She sighed, sitting down at the opposite end of the table to keep a safe distance. "I probably should've told you before – I'm also attracted to women. I've dated them before, but it always went extremely bad so I stopped having anything to do with women at all. I'm not even into blondes, so I don't know what it is with Harley... she just _excites _me and I can't explain it."

Apparently, that wasn't what he wanted to hear. He stood from his seat and stalked over to her, gripping her wrists tightly in one hand while the other slid up her skirt and to her panties. "Are you fucking wet for her, Jester?" he snarled, his fingers creeping slowly towards her panty-clad slit. She gulped, not answering since he was about to find out for himself.

His fingers slid up her panties, feeling the dampness in them, and he growled at her. Keeping a firm grip on her wrists, he pulled her panties to the side and slipped his fingers between her slick folds, collecting her essence on his fingers. He laughed as he pulled his fingers up to his face, looking at the slick coating on his fingertips. The sound was humorless and frightening, and Jester was nervous.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, biting her bottom lip. He glared at her and without warning, he jammed his fingers into her mouth. "Lick them clean," he hissed, shoving them all the way to the back of her mouth, gagging her with them. _"_That's right – _choke."_

She obeyed, gagging on his fingers and using her tongue to lick them clean, sucking on them as hard as she could. Once he removed his fingers from her mouth, she brought her eyes up to meet his. They were darkening, but they weren't quite black yet. She could still turn this around. "Get on the table," he whispered, pointing at it. "Take your clothes off."

She quickly stripped out of her clothes, heels included, and climbed up on the table, laying down flat on her back. He had taken off his suit jacket, but that was it. He rolled up the sleeves of his button up shirt and raked his eyes over her naked form, humming his approval.

"Tell me, baby, who do you want to fuck more? Me, or Harley? Tell the truth – you know I _hate_ it when you lie."

"You!" she answered immediately, not even having to think about it first.

"Tell me why," he commanded her, circling the table like a hawk.

"Because I love you, baby, and because you fuck me so good." she felt herself getting wetter as she watched him stalk her, staring at her with that predatory gaze that always sent chills down her spine.

"Do you like it when I touch you?" he asked, lazily trailing a finger down the inside of her forearm. She shivered, goosebumps raising on her skin, and he chuckled. "That's a 'yes.'"

"How about when I kiss you?" he looked into her eyes as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the 'J' of her Joker tattoo. She moaned at the contact, clenching her fists a little and flexing her legs.

"Mmm... so responsive. I love that about you. I can do the simplest of things..." he trailed his fingertips very lightly up her calf, her knee, and her inner thigh, pulling them away just before he reached her mound, causing her to cry out in disappointment, "... and it drives you _wild_."

She nodded, biting her bottom lip. "Please, baby. I'm sorry, I'll be good." Her voice was laced with her arousal and he chuckled.

"Please, what?"

"Please forgive me... and fuck me."

"You forgot something," he snarled. "_What's_ _my_ _name_?"

"Mister J," she groaned. "Please, forgive me and fuck me, Mister J."

He purred at that, licking his lips. "Do you think you _deserve_ to be forgiven and fucked, princess?" he leaned down again, trailing the tip of his tongue from the base of her throat, down her chest between her breasts, down her belly and around her belly button, stopping right before he got to her clit. She moaned, flexing her legs again and wriggling in anticipation.

"Yes," she breathed, her eyes screwed shut.

He slid his hand down her belly to her thigh and squeezed it before lowering his head and flicking his tongue against her clit. She cried out, spreading her legs wide on the table. He noticed she was soaked at this point, her wetness coating the table top underneath her.

"Look at the mess you've made..." He slid his two fingers up her slit again, collecting as much of her wetness as he could and shoved them in her mouth. "Taste yourself for me."

She sucked his fingers clean, making eye contact with him as she did. "I love doing this for you," she whispered as he pulled his fingers out of her mouth.

"Oh, you dirty, filthy little _slut_," he cooed, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. "_God_, I love it when you submit to me – I love having your pretty little ass at my mercy."

"I'm all yours, Mister J," she whispered, smiling at him. "You can do whatever you want."

"Oh, I know," he grinned down at her, slipping his fingers back down to her slick folds and slipping them inside her. "Tell me, baby, who are you so wet for?"

"You, baby," she moaned, arching her hips up into his hand.

"Good girl," he growled, leaning down and flicking his tongue against one of her taut nipples. She moaned, arching into his touch, and he smiled. "You like that?"

She nodded frantically, arching up towards him again. He leaned back down and sucked, licked, and bit her nipples, alternating between them while he fucked her with his long, pale fingers. "Cum for me, my Queen," he growled in her ear, ducking his head down and sinking his teeth into her pulse point as he curved his fingers inside her and hit her most sensitive spot. He felt her muscles tightening around his fingers and slipped a third in, pumping faster inside her. She was moaning louder, arching into his touch and he grinned. "That's it baby, come on... shatter for me," he was whispering to her, using his free hand to pinch and twist her nipples the way she liked. Her muscles clamped around his fingers and he moaned at the feel, "Oh, that's right, Jester. _Let_ _go_. I want to feel it."

She screamed, bowing on the table as she shattered, her legs trembling violently underneath her. He caught her in his arms as she came down, making sure she didn't fall on the hard tabletop, and carefully laid her back down on top of it. "Get dressed, filthy girl. I wanna fuck you into the headboard upstairs." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before dropping his head to bite her throat once more. His teeth broke the skin and he licked up the few droplets of blood that had welled up. "God, you taste so _good_." He licked his lips before turning around, searching for his jacket.

"Where are you going?!" she cried out, watching him pick up his jacket before making his way to the office door.

"To our apartment, baby. If you want me, you'll hurry that sweet little ass of yours up."

"You won't wait for me?" she was pouting, leaning back on her elbows with her knees up and her legs spread.

He knew he shouldn't have turned around, but he couldn't help it. When he took in the sight of her spread on the table like that, he couldn't walk out the door. He stalked over to her and grabbed her by her knees, pulling them apart as far as he could.

"I'm skipping foreplay," he growled, unbuttoning the rest of his button up and pulling down his pants, letting them pool around his ankles along with his boxer briefs. He grabbed her by her thighs and pulled her closer to him, lining the head of his cock up with her slick center. "Wrap your legs around me, princess," She did as he bade and wrapped her legs tight around him, hooking her ankles together. "I need you," she whispered in his ear, right before biting down on his pulse point. With that, he drove into her, burying himself to the hilt on his first stroke. "Fuck!" he yelled, pulling almost all the way out before slamming back into her. "You're so _tight_. "

She moaned, arching her back and pressing herself harder against him, rolling her hips into his. "Oh, that's my naughty girl," he cooed. "Such a naughty, naughty girl."

He put his hand on her abdomen, splaying his fingers across her skin and pressing down as he pumped in and out of her, angling his hips so he'd rub against her clit on every thrust. "Ohhh fuck, baby!" she cried, gripping his forearms with her hands and digging her nails into his skin.

"That's right, princess, go ahead and hurt me. I like it." He thrust harder into her, loving the feeling of her nails clawing at him. "Hold on tight, baby, and watch your head" he warned, right before slamming as hard as he could into her. "_Yes_!" He moaned, slamming into her again, harder than the first time. He kept it up, quickening his pace as he went. He felt her muscles starting to clamp around him again and he growled. "You gonna come again for me, beautiful?" he whispered, rubbing light circles on her clit with his thumb. Her eyes flew open and she looked at him, frantically nodding and looking like she was going to cry if he stopped now. "Cum with me, princess," he whispered, just before going rigid against her. She shattered around him just as he began to spill himself deep inside of her, the sensation of it pushing her into another orgasm right after the first.

"Oh my god," she wheezed, choking on a sob. She rolled over, covering her face with her hands as she began to cry, shaking with her sobs.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, panicked that she was crying like this. She surprised him when she took her hands from her face, tears streaming down her eyes as she laughed.

"I have no idea what's happening," she choked out, looking absolutely insane.

"Hormones and endorphins, I think," he supplied, chuckling at her temporary insanity.

"It just... I feel so – so _good!_" she was grinning through her tears, leaning forward to kiss him.

"That's the point, baby. Remember _this," _he motioned to her with his hand, "the next time you wanna fuck Harley."

"I only want you, baby. I promise. I'm sorry that I made you angry."

He waved her off, pulling her close to him. "Just be with me, love me, fuck me, laugh with me, live with me, and all that other happy shit and we'll be fine. I'm a one woman man, baby, and I don't share."

"I wouldn't wanna share you either," she murmured, her tone laced with exhaustion.

"Let's get to bed. It's been a long night." With that, he slid off the table and put his clothes back on, picking hers up piece by piece as he found them. "Up," he motioned for her to come closer to him and she sat up. He carefully redressed her, laughing when she almost fell on her ass trying to get her skirt back on. Between the booze and the sex, she couldn't walk. He swept her into his arms bridal style and kissed her forehead as he carried her back to the VIP section to say goodnight to Deadshot and Harley. By that time, Jester was already out cold in his arms.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything except my OC's. **

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**Author's Note: **Just wanna say a huge thanks to Rosiekay for your awesome, supportive review! Xoxo

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_**This story will get a little darker, more memories and flashbacks will happen. Yes, they are based on very, very real experiences in my life and traumas I have endured and still suffer from PTSD because of – some names have been changed and all experiences/memories/flashbacks have been tweaked. For anyone wondering – yes, Jester's dad is based off of my very real, very dead one. Her mother, sister, nephew and cousin are also accurately depicted to reflect my actual mother, sister, nephew and cousin. My mother and I really don't get along and she really is that awful, and I'm OK with that – we can't all get along, after all.**_

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**_Remember that Songbird is rated M for many, many reasons. Enjoy! :)_**

* * *

"Jester!" Joker called for what must've been the 10th time as her phone rang incessantly. He pounded on the bathroom door, annoyed that it was locked, and rolled his eyes. "Christ," he hissed, flicking the volume switch to silent on her phone. He pressed his ear to the door and couldn't help but laugh at the loud, fast song she was singing along to. He didn't catch the whole thing, but he caught enough to bring a grin to his face.

_"___Sweat dripping down your chest,__

__Thinkin' 'bout your tattooed knuckles on my thigh, boy,__

__Cold shower, you got no power__

__To control how I make you my toy,__

__My hips rocking as we keep lip locking,__

__Got the neighbors screaming even louder, louder,__

__Lick me down, like you were rolling rizla,__

__I'm smoking, come and put me out.__

__I'm your dream girl, this is real love,__

__But you know what they say about me,__

__'That girl is a problem, girl is a problem,__

__Girl is a problem, problem',__

__Ooh baby, you so bad, boy,__

__Drive me mad, boy,__

__But you don't care what they say about me,__

__'That girl is a problem, girl is a problem,__

__Girl is a problem, problem',__

__I got your name hanging from my chain,__

__Don't you wanna claim my body like a vandal?__

__You got the cure underneath your shirt,__

__Don't you wanna save this dirty little damsel?__

__Got my mink coat falling on the motel floor,__

__You're on the bed wolf whistling louder, louder,__

__Your lips smudging all my makeup,__

__Kicking both my heels off,__

__Come and pin me down..."__

"Dirty girl," he muttered, making his way to his closet. Jester had already been up and in the shower when he was jarred awake by her loud ringtone going off. Her cousin Tommy had called 7 times so far, and Joker had debated answering it but figured the guy wouldn't be too happy to hear him on the other end of his little cousin's phone. He ran a hand through his hair and looked over all his clothes, trying to decide what he'd wear today. He grabbed a purple button up that matched the paint of his Lamborghini and Jester's hair, a pair of silver pants and his silver blazer. He dug out his purple dress shoes that matched his shirt and didn't bother with a tie. He heard the click of the bathroom door as it unlocked and bolted for it, grinning madly. He swung it open and his eyes landed on her almost immediately. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair loose and wet, and she was putting on her makeup. He sauntered up to her and came to stand behind her, placing his hands on her hips. "Good morning," he growled in her ear, pressing a kiss to her throat. She grinned at him through the mirror, shooting him a wink. "Morning, handsome," she murmured.

"Your cousin has called a million times, you should probably call him back."

"Tommy?" she looked puzzled, finishing off her lipstick and putting it down on the vanity before turning to face him.

He nodded. "I had to turn your ringer off before I broke your phone."

"Someone's cranky this morning," she teased, pressing a burgundy kiss to his cheek. He caught her chin in his hand and kissed her on the mouth, holding her there for a moment while he got his fill of her.

"I don't like waking up without you," he muttered, caressing her cheek with his hand. "Go call your cousin and see what's happening. I'll be done in ten."

He smacked her lightly on the ass as she moved past him and she shot him a smirk over her shoulder, putting an extra sway in her hips as she made her way out of the bathroom. He shook his head, chuckling at her as he stripped out of his boxer briefs and got in the shower.

Jester called Tommy once she reached the bedroom, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. 9 missed calls, no voicemails. Something was definitely wrong.

_"Raven?"_ his voice had a hint of relief in it when he answered, and she calmed down a little.

"Yeah, Tom, it's me. What's goin' on?"

_"It's your brother-in-law, it's a long story. You gotta get over there – he's threatening your mom and sister again."_ Tommy sounded nervous and angry, and her blood ran cold.

"What do you mean, __'again'__?" she snapped, her tone laced with venom. "What the fuck's goin' on, Tommy?"

_"It's a long story, I just need you to get over there – just... don't get in trouble, okay? I'll meet you there."_ She knew what he wasn't saying – __'don't kill another person, don't go back to Arkham.'__

"I'll be there shortly," she growled, hanging up the call. Joker was just coming out of the bathroom, dressed with his black smudge around his eyes, his lipstick on, and his hair perfectly slicked back. He made his way to the closet and started slipping on all his jewelry. "Who are we killing today, baby?" he sing-songed, not even looking at her.

She snarled. "My brother-in-law has apparently been threatening my mother and sister."

"Is that so?" His voice was calm and cool, showing no signs of the storm brewing inside him. "I suppose we'll have to teach him some manners, won't we?"

"I want to go alone," Jester said, giving him a stern look. "Tommy's meeting me there, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to show up – you'll scare the shit out of my brother-in-law __and __my family."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Baby, I'm coming with you. Can't have you going alone – you were at that meeting. People are after you. Killing Black Mask won't stop that. I'll... I'll make things __right __with your cousin, if it means that much to you." He turned away from her to hide his grimace and she giggled, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Thank you," she mumbled into his back. He pat her hands with his own before turning around to face her.

"Strap up, Jester! We're gonna have some __fun___," _He was laughing, shrugging off his jacket to put on his holster. He loaded the magazines to both of his guns, making sure he was good to go before putting his jacket back on. He looked over and admired her as he always did, taking in her hot pink corduroy short-shorts, her purple beater style tank top, and her purple and white chucks with pink laces. "Looking good, toots," he winked at her as she shrugged on her own shoulder holster and strapped on her ankle holster and tactical belt. "You too, handsome," she blew him a kiss and he purred at her, tracing a finger down her arm before grasping her hand and pulling her out of the apartment with him. As soon as they reached the hallway, they ran into Harley and Deadshot who were both dressed and looking like they were going off to training.

"That's a look I haven't seen in awhile," Deadshot said, narrowing his eyes at Jester. "Who you killin'?"

"Got a call that my brother-in-law is threatening my mother and sister. I'm heading over to uh, __remind __him whose family he's fucking with. Care to join us?" Jester's voice was light and airy, a usual tell-tale sign that she would be gutting someone that day.

Harley squealed, swinging her bat expertly in her hand. "Let's do it," she grinned at Jester, shooting her a wink. "This counts as training, don't it?" she asked Deadshot, causing the man to chuckle.

He nodded. "Yeah, Harls, it counts."

Joker and Jester took off in the purple Lamborghini with Deadshot and Harley in tow, driving the '87 Grand National Jester had given her best friend. They arrived pretty quickly at her mother and sister's house, ripping into the driveway as Jester's brother-in-law was advancing on her sister, screaming at her and clearly drunk – in the middle of the morning.

"You're a fuckin' scumbag, just like your dad! Your dad couldn't do shit to me and you won't either, you're a fucking joke. Your whole family is!" Michael, the brother-in-law, was screaming in Jester's sister's face, and Jester spotted her mother on the front porch, looking absolutely vicious as Josh, Jester's 7 year old nephew, his behind her legs.

"My, my, what a _nasty _thing to say," Joker drawled, stepping out of the car. Jester was out and on her feet already, stalking over to her brother-in-law, ignoring the shocked and confused looks on her family's faces.

"What the fuck did you say about my father?" Jester spat, standing toe-to-toe with the 6'2" man, no fear at all in her eyes as she glared up at him. "Say it _again, I ___dare___ you._"

"Who the fuck are you? What is this, the fuckin' Clown Posse?" Michael spat, leering over at the Joker. Joker laughed, his signature cackle, and little Josh whimpered in fear, running inside the house and begging Jester's mother and sister to come inside.

"That's a horror core band, actually," Harley corrected him, sauntering over with her bat held snugly over her shoulders. Deadshot was at her side, his wrist guns glinting in the sunlight.

"It's okay, Josh!" Jester called to her nephew, peering at him through the screen door of the porch. "It's me, your Aunt Raven."

"Raven?" her mother's voice drew her attention and she grinned at her mother.

"I prefer 'Jester' now, but yes, it's me. Fresh out of the loony bin and __damn__, I'm feeling great!"

"That's the Joker," her sister gasped, backing up towards the house. "What the fuck happened to you? Why are you here with __him?___" _her sister glanced at the Joker for a moment before returning her gaze to her little sister. "And who are they?" She shifted her gaze to Harley and Deadshot, narrowing her eyes at them both.

"That's a long story, Rae," Jester sighed, waving her hand in frustration. "We'll talk about that later." She returned her gaze to her brother-in-law who reeked of cheap beer, stale cigarettes, and dirt. "Right now I'd like to know just who the fuck you think __you__are talking shit about my father and coming at my sister like that." She pulled one of her guns, pressing the barrel aggressively into his chest. "I've killed hundreds of men since my escape, Michael, and I'm feelin' _froggy_ today."

The man sneered down at her and pushed back against her, earning a gun to the back of his head from the Joker. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Joker warned in a snarl.

"Lemme take a crack at him!" Harley chirped, sliding her bat from her shoulders with one hand and swinging it menacingly. "Whaddya say, Jestah? Kneecaps? Skull? Maybe one to his junk so we can see if he screams like a bitch."

Deadshot, Jester, and Joker laughed as Harley approached the man, a sultry sway in her hips as she did. She slung her free arm around Jester and glared up at Michael. "Ya see, mistah, this is my best friend, and if you got a problem with her – you got a problem with all of us. That goes for her family, too, ya know. I'd apologize if I were you – she's one hell of a shot, after all."

Michael glared at the pale women and laughed. "You clowns think you scare me? You're nothing more than a fucking gimmick, it's pathetic. And you," he looked over his shoulder at Joker, "all you do is rob banks and taunt Batman. You're not even scary – just a pathetic fuckin' clown in women's lipstick."

"I've had enough of this," Jester growled, cocking her gun and shooting the man in the foot. He dropped, howling in pain and grabbing at his foot, screaming about clowns and crazy bitches. She heard Josh's cry of fear in the house and the gasps from her mother and sister and shrugged. "I don't know why everybody's so upset, the fuckin' asshole deserves it."

"Raven?" Tommy's voice rang out over the howls coming from her brother-in-law and she turned to face her cousin, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hiya, Tommy! How ya doin'?" She skipped over to him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his abdomen – he was 6'4", much taller than her, and she looked like a small child next to him. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and he cupped the back of her head in one of his large hands, quiet for awhile as she hugged him.

"What happened to you, kiddo?" he whispered, carefully eyeing the Joker who was whistling to himself, flipping his gun around in his hand and making everyone present 10 times more uncomfortable as he stood over Michael's writhing body.

"I had an accident," she shrugged, her voice high-pitched and playful. "You know me, super clumsy!"

"Can someone tell me what the _fuck _is going on in my yard!" Rae was shouting, completely panicked and bewildered, and Jester's mom was still standing on the porch, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

"Alright, alright, alright, quit badgering me," Jester joked, ignoring the glare her sister shot her. "Hey, fellas? Can you help me with the trash?" She motioned to her brother-in-law who was still on the ground, cradling his foot and screaming slurs and insults at them all. "Put him in the trunk of the Gran' Natty, we're gonna take him on an __adventure___._" She grinned wolfishly down at the wounded man and wiggled her eyebrows. "It's gonna be __lots __of fun, Mike, just you wait and see!"

Joker and Deadshot grabbed the man by his shirt, roughly dragging him over to the Grand National and dumping him in the trunk. They waited long enough for the man to look around and realize there was no pull lever, no way of getting out once he was locked in, and the trunk was lined with plastic. "If you're lucky, you'll die from heat exhaustion before we're done here," Joker snarled before slamming the trunk closed, motioning for Deadshot to lock it with his key. Joker pat the trunk twice before walking off with Deadshot back towards Harley, Jester, and Jester's terrified family.

"I'd say introductions are in order," he said cheerfully, spreading his arms wide. "You might've seen me on TV – I'm the Joker," he made a dramatic bow, grinning at everyone. "This is my good ol' buddy Deadshot, and that's our fun little friend Harley Quinn over there. Get it? Harley Quinn? Like Harlequin, the clown?" He laughed, smacking himself on the knee for emphasis.

Deadshot rolled his eyes beside the Joker and approached Tommy, holding out his hand. Tommy took it and shook it, eyeing the man cautiously. "Nobody's getting hurt, man, don't worry. We're here with Jester – we just wanna know what's goin' on and get that sack of shit outta here."

Tommy just nodded, dumbly, and followed the two men as they made their way to Jester and Harley.

"Ma, it's fine. Trust me. You couldn't be any safer than you are right now," Jester reasoned, approaching her mother and sister cautiously as though they were going to take off running at any second. "I wouldn't put you guys in danger, you know that."

Jester heard the click of a door as her nephew stepped out onto the porch, looking terrified but curious. "Aunt Raven?" he whispered, avoiding the Joker's eyes. "What'd you do to my daddy? Why do you look different?"

"Oh, hey, kiddo! I'm just teaching your daddy some manners," Jester cooed, slowly approaching the child and ruffling his hair. She crouched down until she was eye level with him and pulled him into her arms. "As for this?" She motioned to her hair, face and eyes. "This was an accident, but I'm fine. I just look different is all." She kissed the top of his head, tightening her hold on him. "You're fine, kiddo. I'm here now. You wanna tell Aunt Raven what happened today before I got here?" Josh nodded into her shoulder, still avoiding the Joker's eyes, and gripped her shirt. "Daddy was being mean to mommy and Mema again, he's been mean a lot lately."

Jester nodded, loosening her grip on her nephew as he squirmed, looking over her shoulder at Joker for a moment. "That man you brought is scary, Aunt Raven! He's __bad___." _Jester chuckled, pulling Josh's chin up with her fingers so he was looking at her. "Listen to me, kid. He's not as bad as he seems – he can be good sometimes. We're all like that, you know. We all have good and bad inside us, it's just that sometimes one side is stronger than the other, you understand? They say Aunt Raven's bad too – do _you_ think I'm bad?"

Josh shook his head. "No, Aunt Raven, you're fun and you're cool! You're always nice to me."

"That's right. Joker's fun and cool too, and he's very nice to me. Would you like to say hello to him and my friends?" She slowly got to her feet and held her hand out to the boy, and he took it, gripping her tightly. "Come on, bud," she cooed, slowly making her way back to her 'posse'.

"I don't think so!" her mom barked behind her, moving to pull Josh back. Jester whipped her head around and glared at her sister and mother.

"__Trust __me," she hissed, narrowing her eyes at them. "If you think I'd hurt the kid, you're crazy."

"__That's __the pot calling the kettle black," her mom spat under her breath, but Jester heard it.

"And comments like _that _are why I'm like __this__." She glared at her mother for a moment before continuing on her way, slowly leading Josh to Joker, Deadshot and Harley.

Harley crouched down and stuck her hand out. "Harley Quinn, kid! Nice to meet ya!" her voice was it's usual high-pitched friendly one and Josh smiled at her. "Hi Harley. My name is Josh." He shook her hand and Harley giggled, ruffling his hair. "You're pretty," Josh whispered, giving the woman a small smile. Harley brought a hand to her heart and dramatically swooned. "Oh, be still my beatin' heart! What a charmer!"

Josh laughed, calming down a little, and looked up at Deadshot. Deadshot was calm and cool, reaching out a hand and shaking Josh's little one. "What's up, little man? They call me Deadshot, but you can call me Floyd."

"Floyd..." Josh repeated, wrinkling his nose. "Sounds weird," he said, shrugging. They all laughed at that.

"Alright, kid, how about D.S.? That's what your Aunt calls me for short."

Josh nodded eagerly, grinning at Deadshot. "I like that one better!"

Joker was next and he looked more uncomfortable and tense than everyone else, including Jester's mom and sister. He awkwardly stuck his hand out to Josh, and Josh recoiled a little. Jester crouched down and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, reassuring him, and he glanced at her before taking Joker's hand. He stared at the goofy grin tattooed on the Joker's hand and Joker remained still, letting the kid take a look. "My Aunt said you're nice," Josh muttered, eyeing the gold rings, watch, and bracelets adorning the pale clown's hand and wrist. Joker chuckled, and Josh stiffened at the sound.

"It's okay, Joshy. He's not gonna hurt you. He laughs a lot 'cause he's always happy." Jester was trying her best to reassure both Josh and Joker, knowing how awkward and uncomfortable children made Joker feel and how timid her nephew could be.

"I'm very nice to your Aunt," Joker tried to speak in as normal a voice as he could, fully aware that this kid had definitely seen him on TV and heard his voice, his laugh, and seen his face as he shot at people and ran from the cops. He didn't want to scare him any worse, so he tried to be as non-threatening and non-intimidating as possible. He slowly lowered himself until he was crouching in front of Josh, hoping his face didn't scare the living shit out of the boy.

"Why does your head say that?" Josh asked, pointing to the 'damaged' tattoo on Joker's forehead. Joker tried hard not to let his usual laugh escape him, not wanting to scare Josh, so he bit it back and gave a small lopsided smile instead.

"I thought it would be cool at the time," Joker said plainly, studying Josh's little face for his reaction. The kid was terrified, there was no doubt about it, but he was brave – looking the Joker right in the eye and standing as close to him as he was.

"You've got a lot of tattoos," Josh added, peeking at the Joker's face and neck. "They look cool."

Joker grinned at him, forgetting himself for a moment, and relaxed when Josh grinned back. "Maybe one day you can have some of your own," Joker suggested, shrugging. "I know a guy."

"That's enough!" Rae barked, storming over and grabbing Josh to try and pull him away, but Josh struggled against her. "Mama, stop it! Stop! They're Aunt Raven's _friends, _Mama! They're __nice___!"_

"__That___ man _is not nice," Rae retorted, giving her wriggling son a hard look.

"Leave him alone, Rae! For fuck's sake, has anybody died? Did we roll up here, guns blazing, mowing down the entire fuckin' neighborhood? Calm the fuck down!" Jester's patience had worn thin and she'd had enough, even if it _was _her own sister.

"Don't talk like that in front of him!" Rae screeched, glaring at her little sister.

Jester stood and looked up into her taller sister's face, glaring at her. "Says the one who lets him watch the fucking news and witness all the god damn violence that, once _again, _didn't happen here today!"

"You shot my husband!"

"OF COURSE I DID, RAE! Tommy fuckin' calls me and tells me the drunk son of a bitch has been threatening you, what the fuck did you expect me to do? Let's not forget what I was sent to Arkham for, _dear sister_." Jester was seething, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Her mother bravely stalked up to the two sisters and forced them apart.

"That's enough! Josh doesn't need to see any of this! Let Mike out of the car, and just go back to wherever hole you crawled out of."

"Real nice, Ma. Real nice," Jester growled, shooting her mother a nasty look. "Who do you think has been paying your fuckin' mortgage all these months?" She grinned maliciously at her mother when her mother's brows furrowed. "Don't worry, I'll go crawl back into my hole – but Mike is coming with _us_."

With that, Jester crouched down and hugged her nephew tight, kissing him on his head before she ruffled his hair. "You be good, you hear me? Don't worry about anything. Aunt Raven's always around – if you ever need me, you call me, and I'll be there."

"Will your friends come too?" Josh whispered, eyeing the three behind her. Jester laughed.

"If you want," Jester offered, winking at him. "I'll see you soon, kid. Take care of your mama and your mema, okay?"

Josh nodded and Jester grinned at him, standing up and making her way back to the purple Lamborghini, stopping to hug a stunned and terrified Tommy as she passed him. Joker followed, opening her door for her and ushering her in as he always did, and Deadshot and Harley climbed into the GN behind them, revving up the engine and turning the music up to block out the screams of the man in the trunk.

"Raven! Where are you going?! You can't just take off with them – and with your brother-in-law in the trunk! What's __wrong __with you?!" Her mom was angry, her eyes narrowed into slits as she glared at Jester through the windshield.

Jester shrugged. "I'm crawling back into my hole, Ma. And I told you – my name isn't 'Raven' anymore." She wiggled her fingers at her mom and sister with a sneer.

"Wait!" Tommy called, rushing over to the passenger side of the car. "Are you going to that place from before?"

Jester nodded, raising her eyebrows at her cousin. "Tommy, I don't want you there. You wanna talk to me, we'll talk – we'll meet somewhere else. I can't risk your safety."

"I'm coming with you," Tommy argued, fixing her with the sternest look he could muster. "Besides, the clown owes me an apology."

Joker groaned, rolling his eyes. "Alright, alright, stop whining!" He whistled, motioning out of his window with his hand to get Deadshot's attention. "Hop in with them, ol' pal. Don't worry, Harley's lots of fun."

Jester nodded reassuringly at Tommy, huffing a sigh. "Just do it," she muttered, motioning behind them to the Grand National. "Don't make me regret this."

Tommy smirked at her and made his way to the Grand National, climbing in and chuckling at Harley's overly friendly introduction and behavior.

"See? He'll be fine," Joker said, ignoring the glare her mom was still fixing them with. "Let's go, baby." As he shifted into reverse and began backing out of the driveway, he caught sight of little Josh waving goodbye to him. He grinned, sticking his hand out the window and waving back. "Be good, kid!" he called, shifting gears once he was on the main road and taking off like a shot with Deadshot, Harley, and Tommy in tow.

* * *

Joker, Harley, Tommy, and Deadshot stood off to the side – where it was __safe__– when they got back to the Club. Jester had completely lost it, emptying both clips in her guns on the surrounding woods and panting, lost in a blind rage. She hadn't said much on the car ride back, just glaring daggers at everyone they passed as Joker sped back to the club. Once they got there, she hadn't waited for Joker to open her door. She had stormed out of the car like her ass was on fire and whipped her guns out of her holster, instantly letting loose. When that wasn't enough, a feral sounding snarl ripped from her throat and she held her hand out to Harley expectantly. "I need to borrow your bat," she whispered, her voice laced with venom. Harley handed it over without a second's hesitation and her eyes widened as Jester stalked off towards the training grounds, smashing the first target she reached to pieces with one swing.

"Jesus," Tommy whispered, giving a low whistle. "Aunt Rose took it too far this time."

"This is because of her mother?" Joker asked, ignoring the way Tommy glared at him.

Tommy nodded. "They never got along – they've been at each others' throats like that all her life. She only really got along with her dad – he understood her. Not at first – she hated him for half of her life, actually, until her first lockup in a psych ward. That's what changed everything."

"I see," Joker muttered, his arms folded over his chest. Deadshot stood on Tommy's other side, watching as Jester ripped through the training course with Harley's bat, destroying everything in sight, tears streaming down her face.

"I've seen this before," he said. "It's always her mom that gets her like this. The woman has a way of getting under Jester's skin and making her go ballistic. I think she does it on purpose."

"I don't know about that," Tommy countered, frowning. "Aunt Rose isn't malicious."

"Says you," Deadshot retorted. "She's never treated you the way she treats Jester. You know as well as I do Jester's always been the black sheep – she's always been outcast and treated like shit simply for who she is. She's not like the rest of you, and you know it."

"You're saying my family treats her differently because she's adopted?" Tommy asked, shifting his gaze to Deadshot.

Joker and Harley both turned their attention to Tommy. "She's adopted?" Joker asked, narrowing his eyes at Tommy. "I didn't see that in her file."

"Her file?" Tommy asked, raising a brow at the clown.

Joker nodded. "Had my boys lift it from Arkham when I broke us out – I wanted to know more about her."

"Creepy," Tommy muttered, shaking his head.

Deadshot rubbed his head. "I'm not saying they treat her differently because she's adopted, though I think that has a lot to do with it. I'm saying they treat her differently because she's __'sick___'_, as her mother so eloquently puts it." He looked Tommy right in the eye, stepping closer to him.

"Think about it – how many times did Jester end up in the Emergency Room because of the meds her mom shoved down her throat? How many times did she try to kill herself on them? How many times did she display homicidal tendencies on those fucking pills? Can you honestly say you even remember __half __the pills her mom pumped her full of for over a decade?" Tommy swallowed hard, glancing at his raging cousin for a moment before looking back at Deadshot, whose expression was one of pure rage and upset.

"How about the Lithium that almost __killed __her? That was a fun story to hear... her mom lied to her, tricking her into taking the fucking pill, then panicked when 16 hours later, Jester was barely breathing and wouldn't wake up. Her mom thought she was __dead __in her bed – and she never even apologized for it."

"I've heard enough," Joker spat, waving his hand dismissively. He stalked off towards Jester, snatching the bat out of her hands and pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly as she fought and writhed against him. "Stop," he whispered. "I'm here. I'll never, ever let her hurt you again, songbird. Never again. I've got you."

She finally went slack against him, bursting into tears and crumbling to her knees. Joker lowered himself down with her, still holding her tight against him with his head resting on top of hers. "I've got you," he repeated, stroking her hair.

Tommy watched the two of them in awe, his mouth agape in shock. "I don't get it," he said, his brows furrowing in his confusion. "Last time I saw them, he had kidnapped and threatened me to piss her off – they weren't exactly __friendly __back then. What the fuck did I miss?"

"They've been in love like this since they met," Harley whispered, tears leaking from her own eyes as she watched Jester fall apart in the dirt. The pained noises the other woman was making were breaking Harley's heart, and she wanted nothing more than to comfort her, but she knew better than to get in between Joker and his Queen. "They met in Arkham, which I'm sure you know, and they were in neighboring cells... it's a long, romantic story, really."

"I get it now," Tommy said. "She was pushing him away. She's always terrified to let anyone get close to her, especially since Uncle Dave died. Hell, she wouldn't speak to _me _for four long years when I let her down for the first time in her entire life. I broke a promise and blew her off." He looked down at his shoes, kicking at the dirt beneath his feet.

"It took her dad, sick and dying, begging her to fix things with me for her to forgive me and let me back in. She finally forgave me an hour after he died in her hands – I had taken the blanket she made for him off his body before they bagged him up and gave it back to her." His voice cracked a little and he cleared his throat, straightening his spine. "She was so hell-bent on pretending I didn't exist that she disappeared from the entire family for those four years – she'd see me at her house, or in public, and walk right past me as if I wasn't even there. She can be the most cold blooded and cruel person you'll ever meet, all it takes is __one __disappointment."

"Your family sounds like 90% of the reason she's fucking damaged this way," Deadshot spat, glaring at Tommy. "Y'all treat her like she's the dirt beneath your feet until you want or need something from her, then y'all get mad that she doesn't wanna answer your calls or show up."

"Don't group me in with them – I don't do that to her."

"But you did," Deadshot countered. "You did, and that's why you were dead to her for four years. You were like her brother, you were the only person in the family other than her dad that gave a shit and was there for her, and then you burned her. I know all about you, Tommy. I've known Jester a long, long time, and she told me a __lot__."

"I didn't do it on purpose," Tommy argued, glaring at Deadshot. "It was a mistake."

"A mistake that helped to cement her distrust in everyone she meets. A mistake that added to the fucking avalanche of__'mistakes' __that caused her to throw up walls so high that she's terrified to love anybody. Joker burned down nearly half the city to get her attention and she __still __ran from him," Deadshot nodded his head towards Joker who was still on the ground with Jester, whispering to her as she cried.

"He kidnapped __you__, someone she loves, to get her attention. He knew he was risking her never, ever forgiving him just to get her in front of him one more time. She would have run from him forever, too terrified to give herself to him and let him love her the way she needs to be... the way she __deserves __to be. Yeah, he's a villain and a murderer, a textbook psychopath, but I haven't seen her truly __happy __until she finally gave in to him."

Tommy was frowning again, watching as Joker cradled his little cousin and rocked her as she cried, not caring one bit about his suit getting ruined by the dirt and her tears.

"He's not what everyone makes him out to be, is he?" Tommy murmured, not taking his eyes off of the scene.

Harley shook her head. "No, he's not... I should know, I was his doctor."

Tommy's eyes met Harley's and his jaw dropped. "What?"

"Doctor Harleen Quinzel was my name before... well, before __this__," she brought her hands up to her face and then trailed them down her body. "I was a psych doctor at Arkham, and Joker was my patient."

"This shit gets crazier and crazier," Tommy muttered, taking in Harley's appearance. "I don't even know what to say."

"You could help me get that fuckin' redneck douchebag out of the trunk and down into the basement. I'm sure Joker's gonna want to take a crack at him once Jester is settled and calm."

Tommy grinned at that, striding towards the trunk of the Grand National. "Think he'll let me get a few hits in? My Uncle Dave was my godfather – raised me like his own son after my dad walked out. I'd like to knock a few teeth out for calling Uncle Dave a scumbag."

Harley laughed. "Honey, we all wanna get a few hits in on him. I don't think it's a matter of letting us, I think it's a matter of what Joker will actually leave for us."

Deadshot nodded, turning the key in the trunk and popping it open. "You survived," he observed, chuckling at the man's furious expression. "You can come quietly, or I can cut out your vocal chords. Choose wisely."

Harley peeked over the trunk at Michael, an evil grin on her face. "Oh, you don't look so good," she chirped. "Hey, what happened to your foot?"

Michael made to lunge at her and Tommy glared at him right before delivering a hard punch to the man's head, knocking him out instantly. "I've been waiting for over a decade to do that," he growled. Deadshot and Harley shot him amused looks and he shrugged. "We've had bad blood for __years___."_

* * *

"Do you want to sing a song?" Joker whispered to Jester, cradling her in his arms in their bed. He had finally gotten her into the club and up to their apartment after sitting in the dirt with her for over an hour while she fell apart.

She was catatonic now, staring into space and not speaking, her eyes completely unfocused. She didn't answer him and he sighed, pulling her closer to him. He had stripped her out of her clothes and pulled one of his button-ups over her, wrapping her tight in it. He had also stripped off his own clothes, clad in just his boxer briefs as he sat up against the headboard in their bed. Her back was against his chest, her head resting back against his shoulder, and his arms were wrapped tight around her waist. They had been sitting like that for about half an hour at this point, and he was beginning to fear she'd never snap out of her catatonic state. He hadn't ever seen her lose it like __that __before – shifting from a blind rage to heart-wrenching cries of agony accompanied by endless tears, to a catatonic state in less than two hours.

"Come back to me," he whispered in her ear, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. "You can't leave me, songbird. I need you, you know that. You gotta come back."

He rested his head on top of hers and sighed, closing his eyes. He didn't know where her mind was at the moment – he only knew that she was in a completely different world and it didn't look like she was coming back to reality any time soon. He wanted so badly to go down to the basement and rip her piece of shit brother-in-law to shreds and feed him to the dogs, but he wouldn't leave her side until she was alright. Speaking of the dogs, they were on the bed on the opposite side of her, snuggled against her with their heads both resting on her abdomen, whining and crying as they stared at her. Joker was always impressed by how in sync the dogs were with Jester and her emotions, they always knew when something was wrong with her, even if she was in a completely different room.

"I know, babies," he whispered to the dogs, not opening his eyes. "She's been gone awhile. I miss her too."

His phone vibrated on the nightstand and he growled in annoyance. "Someone better be dead," he hissed, picking it up and flipping it over to look at the screen. He sighed, seeing a text from Deadshot.

_"___She ok?"__

He looked down at Jester, who was still staring off into space, not even blinking, and shook his head. He unlocked his phone, pulling up the text message and typing back before setting it back down next to him, far enough away that the vibration wouldn't disturb Jester.

_"___Completely catatonic – no clue how to bring her back."__

His phone vibrated again not even a minute later with a response from Deadshot.

_"___I can help her, she's done this before. Up to you."__

Joker looked down at her again, shifting her slightly so he could look into her face. She was still zombie-like, barely even breathing, and he growled in frustration. He wanted to be the one to fix her – he didn't want anyone else doing it. Besides, if he couldn't fix her, then what use could he ever be to her? He swallowed his pride and sent a reply to Deadshot before carefully sliding out of bed and propping Jester up on the pillows. He pulled on a pair of black sweatpants, then retrieved a hot pink bra and matching lace panties out of her underwear drawer and carefully put them on her, pulling his button-up shirt back on her when he was done and doing up all the buttons. He picked her up bridal-style and commanded the dogs to stay before making his way out of the apartment with her, bringing her right to Harley's room. Once he cleared the doorway, he laid her down on Harley's bed and shifted his gaze to Deadshot.

"Bring her back," he growled, folding his arms over his bare chest. "Just don't hurt her, whatever you do."

"I won't hurt her," Deadshot reasoned, putting his hands up in a show of surrender. Tommy and Harley stood off to the side, watching as Deadshot carefully sat down next to Jester. He pulled a soft fleece blanket over her and held his hand out to Harley. She pulled a stuffed marble elephant from behind her back and handed it to Deadshot who carefully tucked it under Jester's arm. "You got the DVD?" Deadshot asked Tommy, peering over at the tall man. Tommy nodded, making his way over to the TV and popping the DVD into the player. Joker peeked at it, noticing it was Tim Burton's version of Alice In Wonderland.

"I don't understand," Joker muttered, moving closer to the bed where Jester was.

"Just be patient," Deadshot said, carefully propping Jester up into a sitting position with pillows behind her. "Sit with her."

Joker did just that – settling himself next to Jester and wrapping his arm around her as Tommy pressed 'play' on the main screen. Harley sat on the other side of Jester, careful not to squish her arm or the elephant, and Deadshot sat behind her, pulling her back against him. Tommy awkwardly sat at the edge of the bed, out of the way and out of everyone's line of sight as they all quietly watched the movie. Slowly but surely, Jester began blinking her eyes and swiveling her head around, confused by her surroundings. "Where am I?" her voice was cracked and raspy, her throat completely dry from her screaming and crying earlier.

"My room," Harley whispered, grinning at her best friend. "We're watching your favorite movie, see?" She pointed at the screen and Jester laughed, watching the Mad Hatter – her favorite character – walk across the table, smashing everything in his path on his way to Alice.

"I love this scene," she whispered, cuddling closer into Joker's side. Joker rested his head on top of hers, stroking her hair as he watched the movie, refusing to break down in front of everyone in the room.

"I like that character," he whispered, pointing to the March Hare. "He's __hilarious__." He laughed genuinely as the hare shouted at the knight and hurled his tea cup at him, causing the tension in the room to completely fade away.

Nobody said anything about her nervous breakdown, her destruction of the training grounds, the shit show at her mom's house, or her catatonic state and Joker was thankful for it, happy to sit with everyone and watch the silly, strange movie. He exchanged looks with Deadshot and mouthed 'thank you' at him before turning his attention back to the screen, using his free hand to lace his fingers with hers.

"I love you," she whispered, resting her free hand on his chest.

He grinned at her, kissing her forehead. "I love you too," he whispered back, ignoring the looks Harley, Deadshot, and Tommy shot him as the words left his mouth.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything except my OC's.**

* * *

"Johnny, watch the club. Don't bother me unless it's life or death, you understand?" Joker was all business as he stood in the main entrance of the club, Jester and Tommy at his side.

"You got it, boss." Johnny strode off towards the club, heading straight for the VIP booth where Deadshot sat with Harley to stand guard as he always did.

"You sure you're ready to do this?" Joker asked, turning his attention to Jester. She was wearing an old black t-shirt and black sweatpants with beat up sneakers.

She nodded, a determined look in her eye as she wordlessly made her way to the basement where Mike was being held. Joker motioned for Tommy to precede him and he did, making his way downstairs after Jester.

Mike was chained to a metal chair in the center of the room, with a dingy light bulb hanging over his head. A tray of what looked like medical instruments was sitting on a table off to the side, along with several items that Jester found quite random – a cigar cutter, a potato peeler, fish hooks, two packs of cigarettes – menthol and non-menthol – a lighter, and a handsaw.

"Look alive, Mikey! It's time to have some fun!" Joker's voice reverberated off the walls in the room and Mike fought against the chains holding him, his protests muffled by the duct tape wrapped around his head. Tommy stood off to the side, glaring down at Mike and Jester busied herself with examining all the tools at their disposal. "This is the part where __I __talk and __you __listen," Joker snapped, growling as he leaned down in front of Mike, eye to eye with the enraged man.

"You had some interesting things to say about Jester's father. What was it you said?" He tilted his head, stroking his chin in thought. "Oh, that's right!" He clapped his hands together, grinning at the man wickedly. "You said Jester's dad was a __'scumbag'__and __'couldn't do shit to you'__. I find that interesting, Mikey boy, and I'll tell ya why – I knew Jester's old man. He was __far __from a scumbag." He tilted his head at Mike and tsk'ed at him, scolding him. "In fact – he was one of the bravest, strongest, most loyal and honest men I ever met. He was the only man, now that I think of it, to tell __me __to fuck off and __live__." He met Jester's eyes and extended his arm, beckoning her over to his side. She gave him a confused, questioning look but he shook his head, wrapping his arm tight around her waist as she sidled up to him.

"You see, Jester's old man was a tough old man – real old school – which I'm sure you knew. He loved his family very, __very __much, and he'd do anything for them – which I'm sure included keeping you alive instead of disposing of you like yesterday's trash. Am I right, Tommy?" Joker looked over at Tommy and grinned, beckoning him to come closer.

Tommy nodded, stepping closer and glaring down at Mike. "The only reason you've lived this long is because Rae __begged __him not to fucking end you. In fact, she begged Uncle Dave __and __Raven here not to kill you. If Raven had it her way, you would've been her first kill – not Damian. She was gunning for your ass since Rae came to her about that time you shoved the TV remote down her throat, choked her, and told her 'you ought to beat her like the bitch she is.'"

Jester glared at Mike before spitting in his face, whipping out the cigar cutter she took from the table. "I'm gonna have so much fun with you, Michael," she threatened, snapping the cigar cutter's blades together menacingly.

"Before you do that, princess," Joker whispered, "I've got a surprise for you..."

He whistled, loud and clear, and Jester watched as Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and Catwoman descended the stairs into the basement.

"We heard this asshole was threatening your family and talking shit?" Catwoman sauntered into the room, circling the man and grinning devilishly at him as she flexed her claws. "I'm happy to help."

"Indeed," Poison Ivy agreed, winking at Tommy and shooting him a bright smile as she crouched in front of Mike. "Tell me, Michael, do you know who I am?" Her skin was its usual green, hinting at the high levels of her toxicity, and Jester pulled Tommy back from her.

"Don't," she warned Tommy, wagging her finger. "Listen, and you'll understand why."

Poison Ivy forcefully ripped the duct tape from Mike's head in one swift movement and the man yelped in pain, glaring daggers at the beautiful woman. "Hulk's bitch?" he spat in response to her question, and they all laughed.

"That wasn't very nice, Michael. I don't like men, you see. I was killed by one, and well... I guess I never quite got over it. You know, __one __little kiss from me can either kill you or brainwash you into doing my bidding. Actually, my skin itself is toxic – I would advise you to keep your hands to yourself." She winked at him and blew him a kiss before rising to her feet, standing far enough away not to affect her allies.

Tommy looked at Jester with wide eyes and she giggled at him. "Told ya," she whispered. "Dangerous, that one."

"I'm quite talented, too," Catwoman purred from behind him. "You know Batman, don't you? Wanna know how many times I've kicked _his_ ass? What do you think I'll do to __you___?_"

Jester was grinning from ear to ear, watching her new allies taunt the man. He was silent in the chair, obviously realizing his loud mouth and shitty behavior finally landed him in the bowels of Hell.

"Tell me, Michael, what do you fear?" Scarecrow was dressed and acting as Doctor Crane at the moment, and Jester was excited to see the shift in him as he went from Doctor Crane to Scarecrow. "My personal, _professional _opinion, is that your greatest fear is being exposed as the weakling you __truly __are. I believe you have a phobia of strong women – you don't know what to do with them, or how to _handle_ them." Doctor Crane smiled at him, circling him slowly as he spoke, watching the man to see what would make him tick.

"You only know how to subdue weak-willed and weak-minded women who will cower before you. I think you're afraid of my friend Jester here. You know she has killed before. You thought you were safe with her locked up in Arkham. You weren't predicting her escape, were you? In fact, I'm __certain __you weren't even aware of it. Here you were, in your safe little bubble, unleashing your true colors on Jester's family thinking that she was locked away for life and you'd get away with it. With her locked away forever and her father dead, you figured you could finally unleash the beast, didn't you?" He stopped in front of Mike and smiled right in his face, looming over him. "Would you like to test my theory?"

"What the fuck is going on, and who are you people?" Mike finally spat, looking absolutely bewildered more than afraid.

"Oh, these are my other friends, Mike," Jester sing-songed, smirking at him as she approached him. "They're all going to get a shot at you once Tommy, Joker and I are done. I get to go first, since it's _my_ family that you're terrorizing and _my_ father that you dared to talk shit about. Time to nut up, Michael."

She sneered at him and quickly closed the distance between them, wrenching his right hand towards her through the chains and tightly gripping his pinky finger. "This little piggy went to market." She slid the cigar cutter down to the base of his finger, putting all her strength into snapping it closed, cutting his entire finger off. Michael screamed, thrashing in the chair, and everyone laughed at his expense, aside from Tommy who looked absolutely horrified.

"I'm not done," she whispered, smiling at him. "We have 9 little piggies left!" She grabbed his right ring finger, sliding the cigar cutter down it and struggling to keep him still as he thrashed.

"Let me help you," Joker chirped, kissing her on her head before pulling two knives from his inner jacket pocket. He wrenched Mike's hands forward before pinning them painfully to the arms of the chair, cackling as the man screamed.

"Not so big __now__ are ya, you fuckin' redneck?!" Jester shouted, her eyes darkening as she stared directly into Mike's. "Now _sit still_, or I will cut something else off with this." Poison Ivy and Catwoman were grinning wickedly, Catwoman even applauding Jester's torture of the man, and Doctor Crane was gleefully watching the scene, reveling in the man's fear. Tommy stood a little off to the side, still looking horrified but unable to take his eyes off the scene in front of him.

"This little piggy stayed home," she snipped his right ring finger off, leaving a bit of a stub to taunt him. She ignored his screams, gripping his middle finger tightly and continuing. "This little piggy had roast beef." __Snip___. ___Scream___. _"But this little piggy had none!" __Snip___. ___Scream___. ___Raucous ____laughter___. _"And this little piggy," she teasingly stroked his thumb, the only finger remaining on his right hand, and laughed, "went 'wee, wee, wee' all the way home!" __Snip___. ___Scream___. ___Cackling___. ___Clapping___._

"Now, shall I continue on the other hand, or are you going to apologize?" Jester leaned in close, almost nose to nose with the man. He was sweating profusely, almost as pale as her and the Joker, and tears were streaming from his brown eyes. "I asked you a question!" She shouted, kicking his chair as hard as she could and knocking him backwards onto the floor, laughing gleefully at the sickening cracking noise that rang out across the basement as his head collided with the stone floor. "Aw, damn. I put him to sleep," she whined, pouting at the Joker.

Joker laughed, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her quickly. "He'll wake up, baby. When he does, we'll have loads of fun with him, won't we guys?" he looked around the room and everyone nodded, all looking very excited to come back to the basement once the man had woken up. "In the meantime, let's have some drinks and dance, shall we?"

"I can turn down my toxicity if you'd like to dance with me, Jester," Poison Ivy's silky voice reached Jester's ears and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "I'd like that," she grinned at the redheaded beauty, winking at her. "I'm sure Harley wants to dance with all of us," she added, eyeing Catwoman.

"You know, baby," Joker began, looking as if he was seriously deep in thought for once. "I'm immune to all toxins, poisons, and chemicals – meaning I'm immune to Scarecrow's fear gas and to Poison Ivy herself... it's because of my little chemical _bath_. I'm wondering if you and Harley picked up the same... __trait___."_

"You can't seriously be suggesting that we test out your theory?" Poison Ivy looked furious as she advanced on Joker. He didn't flinch or even move, he simply met her eyes with his and laughed.

"Do you really think I would risk hurting my Queen? I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't believe it would work." His voice was calm, cool, and collected. He folded his arms over his chest and smirked at Poison Ivy, confident in himself.

"I'm willing to test the theory," Jester said, mulling Joker's words over in her mind. She looked over to Doctor Crane and tilted her head slightly, considering him. "You're a biochemist, aren't you?"

Doctor Crane nodded, giving her a small smile. "I assume you want my opinion on the matter?"

Jester nodded, and Joker eyed the man curiously.

"Well, if you and Harley fell into the same exact chemicals that Joker himself did all those years ago, and those chemicals made him immune to toxins, poisons, and other effects, then I'd say it's very possible you and Harley gained the same immunity." He took a moment to rake his eyes over both clowns, examining them closely. "After all, your appearances changed the same as Joker's did – well, you all have different colored eyes and hair, but you all have the exact same pale skin."

"It's way too high of a risk," Catwoman cut in, shaking her head. Poison Ivy was glaring at Joker with a scowl on her face.

"Are you sure about this, Raven?" Tommy looked concerned. He slowly made his way over to his little cousin and leaned down to look her in the eye. "This is dangerous shit."

"It's 'Jester' now, Tommy, and yeah – I'm sure. I want to know. If Harley and I are immune to everything like Joker is, we could use that to our advantage from now on." Jester smiled reassuringly at her cousin and pat him on the shoulder before turning back to Doctor Crane. "Why don't we start with your fear gas?"

Joker was grinning, slipping an arm around Jester's waist and looking a little too excited for someone whose girlfriend was about to become a mini-experiment for the infamous Doctor Crane.

"I do have it with me, as well as an antidote... I always like to be prepared, and I've been working quite hard lately. Shall we try it later on once the redneck wakes up?" Doctor Crane was grinning at Jester, excited at the prospect of an experiment of this nature – he had always been curious about Joker's toxic blood, immunity to all toxins, poisons and chemicals, and his inability to feel physical pain. On top of that, Doctor Crane had always suspected that Joker is either immortal or extremely slow-aging, since he never seemed to get any older and his appearance never, ever changed to reflect all the years that have passed. No wrinkles, no liver spots, no creases in his forehead or around his eyes, no receding hair line, no poor posture or fragility – nothing. Joker stayed exactly the same year after year, defying time. He knew he'd never be able to experiment on the Joker, but Jester was quite close and absolutely willing to at least test out his fear gas. He was _delighted_.

"Perfect!" Jester clapped her hands together in her excitement, squirming a little where she stood.

Joker chuckled, a little excited himself to see if his Queen was exactly the same as him – if she was, they'd be unstoppable. Throw Harley in the mix and they'd rule Gotham with an iron fist, and not even Batman would be able to stop them.

"Let's get upstairs, shall we?" Joker asked, motioning for everyone to go upstairs. He didn't follow them right away, which caused Jester to stop her ascent and raise her eyebrows at him. "Oh, I'm coming, baby. I just wanna cauterize these nice little wounds you gave him so he doesn't bleed out and die before we get to have some real fun."

"Let me help you," she purred, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek as she passed by him, making her way to the table with all the supplies. She grabbed both packs of cigarettes and both lighters and handed one each to Joker. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?" she asked, eyeing Mike's unconscious form on the floor as she lit herself a cigarette.

Joker frowned for a moment, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck. She tilted her head and exposed her throat to him, moaning softly as he began to press kisses down her throat. "I know, baby," she purred, wrapping one arm around his neck behind her. "I didn't mean to hurt you, either." He lifted his head enough to light his own cigarette without burning her hair, trailing his free hand down the neckline of her shirt until he reached the 'J' scarred into her flesh. "I'd do anything for you, Jester," he murmured, stroking the scarred flesh with his fingertips, "I never want to hurt you again."

She took a drag of her cigarette, leaning back against him and enjoying the feel of his rock hard muscles pressed against her body as well as his ministrations on her scar. "I know," she whispered, completely lost in the moment and his touch. "I love you, J."

He smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to her throat. "And I love you, little J." He straightened up and squeezed her hips before moving around her and roughly forcing the chair back up with Mike still chained to it. "Let's get this done so we can go have some fun with our new friends, whaddya say?"

Jester grinned and nodded enthusiastically, making her way over to the chair. They both cackled and grinned as they burned the wounds on Mike's hands where his fingers had been sliced off closed, destroying any possibility of having his fingers reattached and stopping him from slowly bleeding out.

"That should do it," Joker said, burning the last piece of raw skin where Mike's thumb used to be. He took his fingers like fish hooks and spread Mike's mouth wide, forcing a big, sloppy grin on his face. "What do you think, baby? I wanna give him a good ol' Glasgow grin... he's always so _miserable_."

"I like that idea," Jester's voice was laced with her excitement and the Joker grinned at her, releasing Mike's mouth. "Let's do it when he's awake!"

The two clowns cackled wickedly as they made their way upstairs and up to their apartment to change. Their clothes were covered in blood and Jester's baggy shirt, sweatpants and ratty sneakers were definitely not club material.

* * *

Jester, Harley, Catwoman and Poison Ivy had somehow fit themselves all into one cage and were dancing together, all of them quite drunk and happy. They all got along swimmingly – Joker had even mulled over the possibility of them being a femme fatale squad of some sort in Gotham that'd be able to kick the Batman's ass. He wasn't surprised in the least at how easily Jester had won over Two-Face, The Riddler, Doctor Crane/Scarecrow, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and even Ra's Al Ghul – she was lovable and beautiful, after all. It got him thinking – if they all banded together more often instead of wreaking havoc individually, they'd stand a better chance against Batman and his little superhero pals. The only problem was – Joker couldn't stand them and they didn't much like him, either. Jester was the buffer between them all, and it somehow worked.

Joker was sitting in the VIP section with Deadshot, Doctor Crane, and Tommy. Tommy ripped the Joker out of his musings with a question that actually managed to shock him.

"You need guys, right, J? What if I worked for you?" Tommy was dead serious, leaning forward in his seat across from Joker with his hands folded together, looking Joker right in the eye.

"You know that Jester would put a hole in my head if I had you working for me, kid. Besides, you're a painter – you don't know this business, you don't have any experience. You wouldn't be able to stomach the shit you'd have to do for me." Joker gripped his cane tightly in his hand, fixing Tommy with his most serious look. "I appreciate the offer, kid, but I can't have you hangin' around here and risking your life. She'd kill me if something happened to you."

"Why do you keep calling me 'kid'? I'm 39 years old, man. I'm older than you." Tommy seemed vexed at being called that not just once, but twice. After all, the Joker certainly looked very, very young – just like Tommy did. Sure, Tommy was 39, but he didn't look a day over 21 with his full head of brown hair, his brown eyes, extremely athletic build, and overall good genes. He moved and carried himself with the confidence and self-assurance of a man nearing his 40's – but his humor, inability to commit to a woman and circle of friends made him seem like a teenager. Jester had never been able to take her cousin Tommy too seriously – it wasn't too surprising that other people sometimes didn't either.

Joker burst out laughing at that, slapping his knee in his mirth, and Doctor Crane even let out a chuckle. Tommy was absolutely bewildered, not understanding what would be so funny about that. Deadshot wasn't laughing, he just had a curious expression on his face as he eyed the Joker. He had been curious about the man's real age, too – sure, he seemed young and eccentric, but he had the wisdom of a man that had lived several lifetimes and carried himself like an old school kind of guy.

"Oh, I _like _you. You're funny." Joker laughed, putting his hand over his mouth and showing off the goofy grin tattooed on his skin.

"Joker is much older than you think, Tom," Doctor Crane supplied, smirking at Tommy's shock.

"That's right," Joker chirped, leaning back in his seat and letting his cane rest against his leg. "I've been around a long time, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I'm no different than I was all those years ago when I fell into the vat at Ace Chemicals... I'll let you try and figure out just how long ago that was all on your own."

Tommy ran his hands through his hair and shook his head in his frustration. "Look, Jester is my little cousin and I'd rather be close enough to watch out for her than sitting at home waiting to see her face on the news. Besides, think of it this way – I can keep tabs on her family without them knowing she's involved at all. I can provide protection and even sneak Face Time calls with her nephew if she wants with no one being any the wiser." He smirked at the Joker, knowing he had a good bargaining chip on the table.

Joker and Deadshot exchanged weary looks before they both turned to Tommy, all business. "It's gotta be up to her," Deadshot said, raising his eyebrows at Tommy. "She ain't gonna go for it."

"I can appreciate you wanting to be closer to her and wanting to look out for her, but you're not a killer, Tommy. You know who I am, what I do – you know that what you saw in the basement wasn't even the tip of the iceberg." Joker was up and pacing at this point, already anxious about Jester's reaction to the idea. Sure, Tommy made a good point, and he could use some extra guys – especially ones that would put their lives on the line for his Queen without question – but Jester would probably shoot him for even entertaining the notion. "She's not gonna want you around any of this – especially since I have a nasty habit of shooting my own men when I'm pissed off." He shot Tommy a hard look at that, standing in front of him with his hands folded over his cane. "My men fear me for a _reason_."

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Jester chirped, drunk as can be as she danced her way over to the booth with Poison Ivy, Catwoman and Harley in tow. They were all pretty sloppy drunk, their dresses riding up their thighs, their hair all mussed and tousled, their lipstick a little smeared, and walking like newborn giraffes in their heels. Jester pushed at Joker's chest, groaning when he wouldn't just sit back on the couch like she wanted. He chuckled at her, leaning his cane against the table before sitting down and gently pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around her.

"Oh, nothin' baby. Tommy was just curious about some things." Joker shot Tommy a pointed look, a silent warning not to bring up the topic they had just been discussing, and Tommy scowled.

"Like what?" Jester asked, grinning at her female posse as they all made themselves comfortable in the booth. Poison Ivy sat on the opposite side of the clowns, careful not to sit too close to anyone who could be affected by her toxic skin. Catwoman – who had taken off her catsuit and was now dressed in a slinky black mini-dress as Selina Kyle – had made herself cozy next to Tommy, much to his pleasure.

"Oh, we were just chit-chatting," Joker was hoping she was drunk enough to be easily deterred, but he had no such luck. Jester sat up in his lap, eyeing him, Doctor Crane, Deadshot and Tommy skeptically.

"What are you assholes hiding from me?" she hissed, turning in Joker's lap to glare at him.

"Alright, kid, you're up," Joker sighed, nodding over at Tommy. Jester's attention shifted to Tommy and he looked uncomfortable as she stared at him.

"Well, I offered to work for Joker as one of his guys, and he basically told me no." Tommy winced a little at the way her eyes and expression darkened at his admission.

"You think I'd let you do that? It's too dangerous, Tommy. You could be killed. J has too many enemies, he gets mixed up with the Batman and all those other asshole superheros, we're constantly targeted by the GCPD... there are way too many risks."

"Why not let him prove himself?" Selina purred, grinning at Tommy. "If you're so determined to do it, prove that you can handle it."

"That's not a bad idea," Joker muttered, stroking his chin in thought. "Why not have the kid prove himself, princess? Give him a chance – if he can prove himself, then he can work for me – for us. If he fails, then he's gotta go home and behave himself."

Jester glared at Tommy, considering it. She looked over to Deadshot and quirked a brow at him. "What do you think? You think I should let him have a chance to prove himself or should I send him home? You'd have to be the one to train him, after all."

"I'm _right_ _here_," Tommy muttered, crossing his arms over his abdomen.

Deadshot eyed Tommy and considered him for a moment before answering. "I think he should be given a chance, it's only fair. Throw him in the ring in the basement before we finish Mike off... see what he can stomach."

Tommy grimaced a little at that, recalling the way his cousin cut off the man's fingers with a cigar cutter and the way she and Joker had cackled about in in pure glee. That was horrific enough to watch... what would they have him do to the guy? Despite his trepidation, he nodded. "Alright. Give me a task, or a set of tasks, and I will do them. If I can't stomach them or carry them out, then I go home. If I do them and don't flinch, you gotta let me work for you and J." He lifted his chin defiantly as he eyed Jester, challenging her.

"Alright," she conceded. "What do you know about Glasgow smiles, Tommy?"

Tommy's stomach flipped and he wished he hadn't left the tasks up to his sadistic cousin. He knew he wouldn't be able to do it without vomiting after the fact.

* * *

Jester, Joker, and Harley all stood in the basement by Doctor Crane as he prepared his fear gas. Harley had agreed to undergo the little experiment as well, seeming just as excited about it as Joker and Jester were. They had secured the basement door and stuffed towels underneath it so that none of the gas would permeate the main floor or the club. Poison Ivy, Deadshot, Catwoman, and Tommy all waited upstairs in the main entrance, all of them seeming nervous about the experiment about to take place.

Mike had slowly woken up once they came down into the basement and swiveled his head around the room, taking in his surroundings and seeming confused and groggy. Joker stepped forward once the man's eyes had refocused and he seemed to be coherent. "Wakey, wakey!" he chirped, slapping Mike's head around playfully as he cackled. "We have so much more in store for you! Don't we, Doc?" He giggled as he stepped back and allowed Doctor Crane closer to the man with his briefcase.

Doctor Crane pulled his Scarecrow mask out of his pocket and turned to the three clowns before getting started. "Just remember, ladies, you have masks in your pockets if this doesn't work, and I've got an antidote as well." Harley and Jester nodded, smiling reassuringly at the Doctor and he grinned back at them before slipping on his mask. Mike began to laugh at the ridiculousness of the mask but stopped as soon as Scarecrow opened the briefcase and let the fear gas loose.

Mike's laughter was replaced by screams of absolute terror and horror, the noise blood-curdling and ear-piercing. Jester, and Harley covered their ears while Scarecrow danced around and taunted the man, laughing at his terror. Joker had been leaning against the wall, completely calm and cool, already knowing for a fact he wouldn't be affected. Once he noticed the two girls weren't either, he began cackling and grinned at them both. "Look at you!" he chirped, draping an arm around each of them. "Looks like you both picked up that nifty immunity!" The girls grinned at him and each other, clearly thrilled at the discovery.

Joker giggled, releasing the girls so he could walk around the hazy room and watch Mike suffer from whatever terrors he was currently facing in his head. "That doesn't look very fun," he frowned, kicking Mike's chair over onto the cold, hard ground. He grinned down at the man whose screams hadn't stopped and cackled gleefully at Scarecrow as he danced around with his little scarecrow puppets in his hands, increasing the man's terror. "Oh, this is too good. Too _good_!" He applauded Scarecrow, doing his own little dance around Mike as he giggled.

Jester and Harley watched in amusement, leaning back against the wall. They had both put their masks on just to breathe in some clean air – the fear gas was making their eyes water and drying out their throats. "Good to know we won't be rollin' on the ground screamin' like pussies whenever Scarecrow is feelin' like havin' a little dance party, huh?" Harley winked at Jester and Jester laughed.

"Definitely good to know – I can't lie, this is extremely entertaining to watch. Joker seems to be having a blast."

They both turned their attention to Joker as he danced and giggled and laughed, giggling at how child-like and giddy he was at the moment.

"You think Tommy will make it into the crew?" Harley asked, nudging Jester with her elbow. "I think we can toughen him up."

"I don't want him in the crew, that's why I gave him the task of giving that asshole a Glasgow smile. He won't be able to stomach it. I get that he wants to be around to protect and help me, but he doesn't realize I'm not the same little kid that used to cry about everything. If anything, _he _needs _my _protection." Jester sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. "I don't want him involved in this shit. I helped him with his drug addiction, my dad helped him out of his gambling debts and got him to stop that bullshit, and being a weed guy doesn't really give him any street cred, ya know? He isn't cut out for this lifestyle – he isn't capable of taking a life, he has a weak stomach and a moral compass."

"Jesus, I didn't know. He seems so normal, ya know? Never woulda thought he struggled with drugs and gamblin'... if that's the case, he can't be around J. He'll fall right back into that shit." Harley tilted her head to the side, watching as the fear gas slowly began to dissipate.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of," Jester sighed, pulling her mask off. "I wish he'd understand I'm trying to protect him."

"Let's get this room cleared out, shall we? It's a bit hazy." Joker grinned as he made his way to the back wall of the basement, pulling a chain that opened a large vent. The fan started as soon as the vent was open and began to suck the remainder of the fear gas out of the room, clearing the air so the rest of the group would be able to come downstairs and join in on the fun.

Scarecrow slowly peeled his mask off and stored it in his now-empty briefcase before turning to face Jester and Harley. "Looks like you two passed the test – how _exciting_."

Joker whistled, signaling the rest of the group to come downstairs. Slowly, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Deadshot, and Tommy made their way into the basement. Catwoman and Poison Ivy were back in their costumes, assuming their villain roles, and Deadshot was in normal clothing as he always was when he wasn't training or on a job. Tommy looked nervous, but was masking it well enough.

"Tommy boy! Come on up!" Joker was giddy as he beckoned Tommy over with his right hand, his left hand gripping one of the chair legs on the ground. "Let's give Mikey here a lift!"

Tommy made his way over and helped the Joker pull Mike's chair up, glaring at Mike once he was upright. "Having fun?" he sneered. Mike didn't say a word, still sweating and panting from his ordeal with Scarecrow.

Joker giggled, delivering a swift punch to the side of Mike's head. "Answer the question," he drawled, roughly pulling Mike's face up so he was looking at Tommy.

Mike still refused to say a word, glaring at Tommy and the Joker as they stood in front of him.

"Alright, Tommy, let's get you initiated!" Joker made his way over to the table with the medical supply tray on it and picked up a scalpel, the potato peeler, and the fish hooks. He made his way back over to Tommy and deposited the items into his hands before reaching into his own jacket pocket and producing his gold butterfly knife, a box cutter, and a package of razor blades. "Dealer's choice," he sing-songed, grinning at Jester as she came to stand beside Tommy, eyeing all of the weapons Joker deposited into his hands.

"What will you do, Tom?" Jester asked, eyeing her cousin skeptically. "Be careful which one you choose – this won't be as easy as you think."

Tommy's hands were clammy and a thin sheen of sweat glistened on his forehead in the dim lighting as he looked down at the items, thinking carefully. "I think I'll use the scalpel," he murmured, handing the other items to Jester.

"The scalpel? So easy, so... _clean_," Joker mused, winking at Tommy. "If I were you, I'd want to make it real _messy_."

Tommy swallowed, nodding. "Yeah... you're right." He ignored the amused look on Jester's face, knowing she was expecting him to back out and fail. He was determined to prove her wrong – to prove all of them wrong. He could do this. His Uncle Dave had told him some stories and taught him some things, he wasn't completely innocent. He could carve Mike's mouth open from ear to ear – he could! "Give me the box cutter, Joker," he said, trying to force as much confidence into his expression and his tone as he possibly could. He handed the scalpel to Joker and took the box cutter from him, eyeing the rusty blade contained in it warily.

"Gee, Mikey, I sure hope you've had your tetanus shot! Let's turn that frown upside down!" Joker shouted, shaking Mike in the chair. Jester laughed, watching Mike flinch at the action, and pat Tommy on the back.

"Go on, he's all yours," Jester whispered, a feral look on her pale face.

Tommy nodded and approached Mike, crouching before him so they were eye to eye. "This is for calling Uncle Dave a scumbag," he whispered angrily, fixing the rusty blade of the box cutter to the corner of Mike's mouth.

Joker slid an arm around Jester's shoulders, pulling her close to his side as they watched Tommy closely, anticipating what would happen. "I think he's gonna do it," Joker whispered in her ear, his tone laced with his amusement and excitement. Jester didn't say a word, watching Tommy like a hawk as the hand that held the box cutter trembled.

To her utter shock and surprise, Tommy used his free hand to hold Mike's face roughly in place as he dragged the box cutter blade across Mike's face from the corner of his lip, successfully cutting a slow, jagged line from the corner of his mouth and up his cheek, stopping an inch from his ear. Tommy kept a straight face as he did it, not even flinching at Mike's screams while he worked.

Joker grinned, cackling as he watched that side of Mike's face slacken, bleeding profusely from the gnarly, jagged slash in his cheek. "You're halfway there, kid. Think you've got the spine to finish the job?" His voice was high-pitched, reflecting his glee, and Tommy fought the urge to shudder as he brought the blade up to the other corner of Mike's mouth. Without a word, he slashed another jagged line into Mike's face, clenching his jaw to avoid grimacing at the gore.

Joker began clapping loudly, causing everyone else to applaud Tommy's actions. Mike's screams and cries of pain were drowned out by the noise and Jester simply grinned. "I didn't think you had it in you," Jester whispered, leaning down to look Tommy in the eye. Her gaze trailed from Tommy's eyes to his hands that were now covered in gore and blood. Tommy went to give her the box cutter and she shook her head, pushing his hand back.

"That's yours now, Tommy," she whispered. "A memento, if you will. Before you clean up, you gotta fix him up a little. I've decided to keep the poor bastard alive." She handed Tommy a thin, flat piece of metal about an inch wide and four inches long, and a lighter. "Cauterize it, but make it gnarly... I don't want a plastic surgeon to have a shot in hell of fixing that mess. I'll help ya." She turned her head towards the Joker and shot him a winning smile. "Can I have the fish hooks, baby?" She cooed, holding out her hand. Joker happily provided them for her, along with a roll of fishing line he produced from his pocket.

"Alright, Tommy, put those fisherman skills to use." Jester muttered, placing the fishing line and hooks in Tommy's free hand. Once Tommy set to work with the fish hooks and the line, Jester made her way over to the rest of the crew lined up against the wall, taking in their confused, excited, and amused expressions.

"Guy's got guts," Deadshot said, folding his arms over his chest as he watched Tommy work. "Didn't think he'd pull it off."

"If he can stomach this, he'll do alright with other... tasks." Doctor Crane was watching Tommy with interest, seemingly analyzing the man. "This isn't something for the faint of heart, after all."

Catwoman cocked her head to the side and smiled, drumming her claws along the wall she was leaning against. "He's got heart, that's for sure. I like a man with heart."

"Is that why you cling to the Batman? How sweet," Joker smirked at her, quirking a brow.

Catwoman rolled her eyes. "Shut up, clown," she retorted, crossing her arms.

Tommy had finally stuck the fish hooks in the edges of the wounds he made on Mike's face, holding them in place with the fishing line he wrapped around the back of Mike's head. He tugged on the line, making sure it was nice and snug and would hold, and was pleased with his work.

"Nice work, Tommy. You know what to do," Joker urged him from where he stood leaning against the wall, a wicked grin on his face. "Might take a few tries, but I have faith in you."

Jester watched carefully from her spot next to the Joker. She wanted to stand by Tommy and support him, but he needed to do this by himself without any kind of comfort or assistance. So she stayed put, raising her eyebrows as he held the lit flame to the scrap of metal until it turned black, touching a fingertip to it to test how hot it was. Once Tommy seemed satisfied with the searing heat of the metal plate, he brutally smashed it into one side of Mike's face, right over one of the jagged, partially open cuts, making sure the scar would be disfigured and crooked. He repeated the same action on the other side, keeping a straight face the entire time until it was done. By the time he rose to his feet, Mike had passed back out from blood loss and exhaustion, and Joker shook his hand excitedly. "Congrats, kid. Get yourself set up in a guest room on the second floor. You start training with Deadshot tomorrow. When you're not with Deadshot, you're with Johnny boy. You uh," Joker looked back at Mike's unconscious form and laughed before turning back to Tommy, "_exceeded_ _expectations_."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Disclaimer: I don't own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**_

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you for all the reviews, messages, follows favorites! :)_

* * *

_***WARNING: LEMONS AHEAD***_

* * *

"I still don't like it," Jester muttered as she lay back against Joker's chest, letting her head loll back on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and rested a possessive hand on her throat, nodding.

"Trust me, princess, with Johnny and Deadshot training him he'll be fine. Besides, he's gonna have a nickname, he's never gonna show his real face in public, and he's gonna be living here in a guest room. He passed his test, baby, you can't get rid of him now." He leaned back against the edge of the tub and let the jets massage his back while he gently stroked Jester's throat with his fingers.

"I want a Teflon vest on him at all times," Jester insisted, resting a hand on his thigh. "I can't lose my cousin, J."

"That's a given," Joker assured her, grinning. "Johnny's always got one on. I prefer my guys to wear them."

It was the morning after their torture of Mike – Jester and Joker had woken up a little later than usual and decided to run a relaxing bubble bath. Tommy had picked a guest room for himself and moved his things in the night before after getting permission to clean himself up and take a trip to his rented house. Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow had left after a few more drinks and chit chat, amused at the events of the night. Everyone seemed impressed with Tommy's successful initiation and Harley and Jester's proven immunity to toxins, chemicals and poisons. Poison Ivy had chosen to safely test both female clowns, blowing toxic kisses at them instead of kissing either of them on the mouth. Neither clown was affected by it, nor were they affected by Poison Ivy's pheromones or her toxic touch. Joker had been absolutely ecstatic at all the discoveries, proud of his Queen and her sidekick, excited to have two more secret weapons against all of his enemies – especially Batman.

Jester had been thrilled at discovering she and Harley had the same immunity that Joker did, but she wasn't too happy about Tommy's successful initiation. She was really convinced that he wouldn't be able to do it and he'd back out – now that he passed, she had to keep her word and let him be a part of the crew. At the moment, she knew he was outside training with Deadshot and Harley, and he'd be assisting Johnny later with 'cleanup' – they'd be carting Mike to Arkham in the trunk of Johnny's car and dumping him at the door late at night when there was less staff. They were all 110% certain Mike wouldn't say a god damn word about who took him and tortured him, especially since he couldn't look any of them in the eye anymore and didn't dare to speak a single word after Scarecrow traumatized him.

"Come back," Joker whispered in her ear, sliding his free arm around her waist. "You went down the rabbit hole again."

She chuckled, amused that Joker liked Alice In Wonderland as much as she did. "It's a shame it took me being catatonic for you to see it, but I'm so glad you like that movie," she mused, turning her head to press a kiss to his chest. He groaned and tightened his hold on her throat, stroking her jawline with his thumb.

"I'm the Mad Hatter to your Alice," he giggled, the rumble in his chest vibrating against her back.

"Isn't there an asshole in Arkham with that name? The weird one obsessed with the book_ Alice In Wonderland_?" Jester was looking up at him and they smiled at each other as their eyes met.

"Indeed," he confirmed. "But give the guy a break – he ain't too bad. Not most of the time, at least... but if I know you, and I _do_, he'd get on your nerves instantly."

"I bet," she agreed, letting her head fall back against his shoulder again. "Don't stop," she whispered, relaxing against him as he stroked her throat, jaw, and chin. "That feels so nice." She took a deep breath and inhaled the jasmine and lavender bath salts and bubble bath she had poured into the tub, letting it all relax her frayed nerves and the tension in her body.

"Don't get me started, Jester," he growled, tightening his hold on her waist. "I don't come with brakes."

"Don't threaten me with a good time," she countered, arching back against him. He groaned, rolling his head around to crack his neck before he leaned down and bit her as hard as he could on the shoulder, leaving new, raw teeth marks in her flesh.

"They were wrong about me, you know," he whispered, looking her in the eye. His lips ghosted over hers as he spoke, driving her insane with want.

"Oh yeah?" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck and bracing her feet against the other side of the tub so she didn't slip under the water.

He nodded, flicking his tongue out against her bottom lip before answering her. "Oh yeah, baby. I wasn't _truly _crazy until I met _you_."

He didn't give her a chance to respond before his lips were on hers, his hands gripping her waist tightly. She groaned as she felt his nails digging into her skin, returning the favor by raking hers down his back. He grinned against her mouth and pulled her legs around his waist, flipping them around so he was leaning back against the tub. He held her tight in his lap as he kissed her, his erection pressing teasingly against her folds. He tangled his hands in her wet hair, pulling her face closer to his own and she gripped his shoulders, rolling her hips against his to signal her need.

"Please," she moaned, breaking the kiss to catch her breath. She kissed her way up his throat and bit his earlobe, fisting a hand in his wet green hair. "I need you... _now_."

Without another word he entered her, filling her up. They both moaned in unison, pulling each other as close as they could as they rocked together. Joker closed his eyes and let his head fall back over the edge of the tub, thrusting into her as hard as he could but taking it slow for once, wanting to savor the feel of her walls clenching around him. He tightened his grip on Jester's hair as she met his thrusts with her own, kissing every inch of his chest, throat, and shoulders that she could reach with her pretty little mouth.

"Oh, baby," he growled, lifting his head and opening his eyes to look at her as she moved against him in the water. "You're so beautiful." He pulled her in for another kiss, quickening his pace inside her as he pressed her against the opposite wall of the tub. She groaned at the feel of him inside her coupled with the hot jets of water pounding against her sore back, raking her nails down his shoulders and chest, leaving new marks over old ones.

"You were so sexy last night, princess," he growled in her ear as he pumped in and out of her, pressing his forehead against hers. "I was so proud of you – you've gotten so _strong_, so _ruthless_. You're perfect for me, Jester. Absolutely _perfect_."

Her eyes met his and she smiled at him, wrapping her legs tighter around him. "I love you, J," she murmured, kissing her way along his jaw until she reached his ear. "Fill me up," she whispered in his ear, just as her walls began to tighten and her legs began to quake. "_Please_."

"Oh, baby, anything for you," he purred, gently placing his hands on either side of her throat. "With me, princess."

A few more thrusts after the words left his mouth, they both reached their release. She tightened around him, milking him as he spilled himself deep inside of her with a feral sounding growl, kissing her harshly as he did.

"I love you, Jester," he whispered, looking right into her eyes. "Always."

* * *

Joker looked miffed as he sat in his club office at the head of the table, his green hair still soaking wet and only wearing a pair of black track pants. Jester was draped over his lap, as always, in the purple and black robe she had covered herself with to slip out of his window that one night. Her purple hair was also wet, piled sloppily on top of her head in a big clip. She had her black square-shaped glasses on, happy not to be wearing contacts for once, and had a giant mug of coffee in one hand, a lit cigarette in the other. She was wearing a pair of Joker's black slippers that were comically huge on her feet, but no one dared to laugh about it with Joker in such a foul mood. He and Jester had just finished rinsing off in the shower when Johnny frantically knocked on their bedroom door, telling them they needed to come downstairs immediately.

Johnny, Tommy, Deadshot, Harley, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and a dirty cop named Louis Santos on Joker's payroll sat at the table, some called in by the Joker and others already on the premises when Catwoman showed up. "So you're telling me this because...?" Joker looked unaffected by the news, draping his arms lazily over the arms of the chair he sat in.

"Because, Joker, they're probably coming for all of you next. They've got Two-Face and Riddler, they almost got me, and I guarantee they'll be coming for you if they aren't already."

"Lucky you, being buddies with the bat," Deadshot muttered, shooting Catwoman a scathing look.

"Hey, we're not exactly buddies... not since I found out he's fucking Talia, anyway." Catwoman's tone was laced with venom, clearly furious that she had been replaced as Batman's lover with the daughter of none other than Ra's Al Ghul.

"What's your suggestion, then?" Jester cut in, noticing Joker straining in his seat. She knew he was about a hair away from shooting everyone dead in his rage and annoyance, and this little side-conversation certainly wasn't helping.

"I think we should all stick together," Poison Ivy chimed in, looking around the table, "since we're stronger in numbers than we are individually."

Catwoman nodded her agreement, throwing her pride right out the window in favor of self-preservation. "I prefer to work alone, but with Batman no longer wrapped around my claw and Gordon on a rampage, it makes the most sense.

Scarecrow shrugged. "I daresay we worked together rather well last night – even in our down time, none of us had any _disagreements_."

"You already know I'm with you guys," Deadshot supplied, nodding at Joker and Jester. "Jester's my best friend. I'd die before I let anything happen to her."

Joker nodded, eyeing everyone and smoothing back his hair before speaking. "I hate to admit it, but it seems like the better option. They've got too many of us in Arkham as it is."

"Speaking of Arkham," Louis piped up, folding his hands neatly over the table as he leaned forward. "They've got new doctors, orderlies, and guards. Place is still up and running, business as usual. As far as I know, that's where the Batman and Gordon took Two-Face and Riddler."

"That's good," Joker grinned, tilting his head in Louis' direction. "I need information, Louie. The usual – full names, family members, addresses, the works. Make it snappy," he growled the last part, causing Louis to rise from his seat and quickly excuse himself from the meeting and the club itself.

"Efficient," Scarecrow mused, motioning towards the office door Louis had just slipped out of.

"A good investment," Deadshot agreed.

"Since it looks like some of us may be paying a visit to Arkham in the near future," Joker drawled, leaning forward to capture the attention and eyes of everyone remaining at the table. "It looks like we're gonna have to come up with a new escape plan."

Johnny provided the blueprints to Arkham and everyone looked them over, working together to formulate a plan to break out of Arkham if any – or all – of them ever got caught again. Everyone had a specific role that another person could pick up if need be.

"What do you say, Tommy? Can you handle that?" Jester narrowed her eyes at her cousin, fixing him with a stern look. "You and Johnny are mine and Joker's only hope if all of us get locked up. You can't let us down."

Tommy nodded, looking over the blueprints once more. "How hard can it be? Fear gas, Joker venom, C-4, guns, bullets, and masks. Sounds easy enough."

Johnny chuckled. "You've clearly never been inside Arkham before."

"I'm not the only big bad wolf in Arkham, you know," Joker grinned at Tommy, shooting him a wink. "You're lucky your cousin here disposed of Zsasz and Black Mask – that's two less psychopaths for you to worry about. Most of them are afraid of _me_, sure, but they won't be afraid to rip your head right off your shoulders."

Jester groaned, taking a deep drag of her cigarette and letting her head fall back against Joker's chest. "Please, J, don't say shit like that... not in front of me."

"It's the truth, baby, and you know it. This is the life he chose, remember?" Joker wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her, and shot Tommy a serious look.

"Keep up with your training and you'll be fine. This is just an emergency plan, it's not like any of us are getting locked up anytime soon."

"I don't think we should drop the redneck outside of Arkham if they're rounding all of us up," Deadshot said, leaning forward and looking at the Joker. "It's too risky to put our only outside guys right in the line of fire, so to speak."

"Yeah, he's got a point, Mistah J. They'll know it was us as soon as they see his carved up face." Harley looked mildly concerned in her seat, her arms folded over her chest.

"Perhaps it would be better to feed him to my plants," Poison Ivy suggested, a sly smirk spreading across her red lips. "I hate waste."

"The kid doesn't deserve to lose his father, even if the guy is a piece of shit." Joker nodded his agreement at Deadshot's statement, stroking Jester's side as he held her in his lap. She had lit up another cigarette and he pulled it from her mouth, taking a drag of it himself. The whole point of their bath this morning was to relax – and here they were, stressed the fuck out all over again.

"It's up to you, princess. It's your family," Joker handed her cigarette back and pressed a kiss to her temple, shifting her in his lap so she was more comfortable. "What do you wanna do with him?"

"I agree with Deadshot. The kid has lost too much. Lost his sister to cancer when he was 2, lost my dad – the only real father figure he ever had, and he's lost me because of my shitty family. He's too sensitive – he can't lose his dad, too, no matter how much of a fuckin' prick he is. Besides, I like the idea of Mike being forced to live with only one good hand and a disfigured face. God knows we all fuckin' traumatized him for good – he shouldn't be an issue anymore." She took another drag of her cigarette and met her cousin's eyes across the table. "Let's dump him just outside the city limit and let fate handle the rest. He better hope the wolves don't get to him before humans do."

"Or Killer Croc," Scarecrow supplied, shaking his head in disgust.

"They've got him in Arkham, too," Catwoman chimed in, a smirk on her face. "Much to my pleasure, really. He was always particularly nasty to tangle with."

"They've got the lizard in Arkham?" Joker seemed surprised by the news.

Catwoman nodded. "Put up one hell of a fight with Batman, but lost... badly."

"Batsy's been working overtime, huh?" Harley giggled, a wide grin spreading across her pale face. "We can take him, I ain't too worried about him."

Joker leaned back in his seat and rested a hand on Jester's covered thigh. "Might be time to move," he growled, looking around his office. "We're fish in a barrel here. It's only a matter of time before Batsy shows up on a club night."

Deadshot nodded. "Agreed. Where to, J?"

Joker thought about it for a moment scratching his chin. "I had Johnny buy a house on the outskirts of the city a couple years ago – a safe house, really. It's in someone else's name, can't be traced back to me. Might be the best place to lay low for a little while until we can figure out how to subdue the Bat."

Jester sighed. "More moving." She rolled her eyes and slid off Joker's lap, taking a gulp of coffee as she made her way to the office door. "Let's get to it, then."

Everyone stood and made their way out of the office, preparing for a long day of packing and moving. Poison Ivy was hesitant, refusing to leave her greenhouse and her plants behind until Joker and Johnny both reassured her that she'd have a greenhouse in the new location - a bigger, better one than the one she had now. She had set off with Catwoman and a couple of Joker's guys to gather up her beloved plants, thanking the Joker for lending her some of his guys and one of the big 18 wheelers they kept in storage for the move.

Joker also had to reassure Scarecrow/Doctor Crane that there was more than enough space in the safe house for his experiments – even promising him he could use the basement at the location as his new laboratory. Once Scarecrow was reassured and confident in the Joker's word, he had set off with a couple more of Joker's guys to collect all of his things and pack up his lab before heading to the safe house.

Deadshot, Harley, Tommy, Johnny and a couple more of Joker's guys stayed behind to pack up the club house, standing by to help Joker and Jester with their packing and moving.

* * *

Joker joined Jester in their bedroom, watching her as she sifted through the boxes of her belongings that she still hadn't gotten around to putting away. "Good thing you haven't completely unpacked, isn't it?" He could tell she was stressed out and anxious and was trying to lift her spirits, hoping to maybe get a laugh out of her.

She just glared at him, stalking around the room and trying to focus on packing. She didn't even know where to start. Her thoughts were scattered, her anxiety was spiking, her ADHD was kicking in and she was beginning to feel very, very overwhelmed. She pulled all of her clothes off of the hangers in the closet and out of the drawers she had them in and began carelessly tossing them in boxes, ignoring the look Joker was fixing her with.

"Why don't I have the boys come up and pack up all your things for you? You look... _distracted_."

"I'm fine," she hissed, not making eye contact with him as she passed by him. His hand shot out and he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"Jester," he growled, tugging at her wrist to pull her closer to him. "Talk to me, toots. What's got you all worked up?"

She bit her lip and looked at the floor, her anxiety crawling up her spine and settling in her chest, giving her heart palpitations and causing her arms to go numb. She felt panicked and terrified and paranoid and didn't know how to communicate with him at the moment – all she could focus on was how nervous she felt and the urgency she felt to get moving and get everything packed up. She almost didn't realize it when the Joker pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against him. She counted to ten in her head, trying to push her anxiety back down and calm herself before she spoke, her voice small and cracked. "I don't like change. I don't like moving. I don't want to go back to Arkham."

He nodded, swaying a little with her in his arms. "I know. I don't like any of it either, but this is the life we live, doll face. This is what we chose, remember?" She nodded against his chest and he smiled. "The safe house is nice, baby, I promise. The bathroom isn't much different, the master bedroom is just as big, and it's completely furnished. He cast a quick glance at the dogs that were napping peacefully on the bed and his smile turned into a grin. "There's a big fenced in backyard for the babies, you know," he whispered, knowing that would cheer her up.

She pulled away from him enough to look up at him and he wiped the tears from her eyes. "There is?"

He nodded, kissing her forehead. "Yeah. A really, really big fenced in backyard. They can run as far and for as long as they want, and there's a nice, big back deck you can lounge and drink your wine on. I think you're gonna like it, babe. Actually, I think you'll like it so much that you won't want to come back here."

She hugged him tight for a moment, breathing in the scent of his cologne and aftershave to calm herself. "Okay," she conceded. "

He laughed, letting go of her and took the clip out of her hair, watching as it fell around her shoulders and down her back. "I've got an idea," he purred, lifting her chin with his fingertips. "You get all dolled up and dressed and we'll go do a job, just the two of us. I think we'd both feel a lot better after some much needed trigger therapy. Whaddya say, princess?"

Her eyes lit up at that and she grinned, all her anxiety dissipating. "It's a date," she chirped, smiling at him before making her way to the bathroom to get ready.

"Well, she _did_ say it's a date," he murmured, looking at his old purple pinstriped suit hanging up in the back of the closet. He carefully pulled it off of the rack and laid it across the bed, taking a deep breath before slipping off his track pants. He pulled on his green button up shirt, buttoning it all the way up instead of leaving it open like he normally would, then pulled on his orange waistcoat over it. Once those were on, he pulled on his purple pinstriped pants and a pair of dressing socks, digging his old purple and green dress shoes out of the closet and slipping them on. He took a good look at himself in the full-length mirror as he pulled on his purple pinstriped jacket and put on his purple bow tie.

Just as he finished straightening his bow tie, Jester was coming out of the bathroom dressed in her usual tight black yoga pants and a white camisole tank top. She had on a pair of gray running shoes and had her hair tied back in a ponytail. He noticed she only wore her usual lipstick today and had on her glasses instead of her contacts and smiled. "You look gorgeous," he cooed, pulling her close to him when she was within reach.

"Thanks, good lookin'," she responded, raking her eyes up and down his form. "So, the rumors are just that... _rumors_."

"Rumors?" he asked, frowning.

She chuckled. "There are rumors and myths that say there are actually three different Jokers. However," she eyed his purple suit for a moment, smiling brightly at it as she took it in. "I'd say, judging from this suit, that it's bullshit. _Everyone _knows about the purple suit..."

"What do you think?" he asked, spinning in a slow circle for her. He pulled his old purple gloves out of the pockets of his suit jacket and slipped them on, flexing his hands in them to get used to the feel of them again.

"I love it," she breathed, standing up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his lips. "I think you look great. No wonder all those broads fell in love with you." She had that knowing look in her eye and a smirk on her face and he knew it wasn't just a joke – she knew something.

He kissed her back quickly, holding her close to him. "What would you know about all the, uh... _'broads'_?" He asked, keeping his tone calm and even.

"I could ask you the same about my father," she countered, winking at him before pulling away and making her way to the armory in the closet.

"Got me there, you little minx," he growled, following her into the closet. "An answer for an answer, then?" He turned her to face him, pulling her as close as he could to him. "I'll tell you the truth."

She sighed, tilting her head back and exposing her throat to him. She smiled when he leaned down and lightly nipped at the skin between her neck and shoulder. "We both know that's a lie, baby. You don't talk about your past." She felt him bristle against her at her words, but he kept his mouth at her throat, busying himself with trailing his tongue along her skin. She knew he was trying to distract her, just as she was doing to him with her show of submission. "And we both know an answer for an answer isn't really fair, considering the subjects at hand."

"You're treading into dangerous territory, princess," he whispered, biting down on her pulse point.

"So are you," she countered, running her fingers through his hair. "How about this? I'll tell you what I know if you tell me what you know first."

"Give me a hint about what you know, then. After all – you already know that I have... _information_ about your father. That's pretty specific." He finally straightened up, looking hard into her eyes.

"You want a hint? That's fair..." She had a devilish grin on her face and for once, he didn't like it. "Follow me."

He gave her a puzzled look but did as she bade, following her out of the closet and into the bathroom. She carefully took her glasses off and set them down on the vanity before pulling out a black eyeliner pencil and red lipstick. She sat herself down in the chair at the vanity, beckoning for him to come closer. Once he was leaning over her shoulder, their eyes meeting in the mirror, she smirked at him and used the red lipstick to draw a diamond around one eye, and the black eyeliner to draw one over her other eye.

When she was finished, it was as if his face turned to stone. He was nearly expressionless, but she caught the flash of fear in his eyes that came and went so quickly she would've missed it if she blinked. She turned to face him and allowed him to take a good, hard look before she pulled out a makeup removing wipe and cleaned her face. "I think that's more than fair," she whispered, pulling him down to her level by the collar of his suit jacket. He stiffened when she kissed him, taking awhile to relax into it and return it. When she finally pulled away, she put her glasses back on and practically skipped out of the bathroom and back into the closet. She came back out with her holsters on, all three guns in them, her tactical belt on, and had his holster and guns in her hands. "Let's go, baby. We're burnin' daylight."

He said nothing as he slid off his suit jacket, slipping into his holster and sliding his guns into it before pulling his jacket back on. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, making sure his hair, eyes, and lipstick were up to par, and finally met her by the opening in the wall, silent as the grave for what must've been the first time since his last stay in Arkham.

* * *

"Gooooooood morning!" Jester shouted jubilantly, both guns locked and loaded in her hands as she stood in the now wide-open doorway of a trap house in the bowels of Gotham. She and Joker had kicked in the front door of the abandoned house, masks on, and prepared to shoot on sight. Jester had been saving this place for a special occasion – only one guy in here was a rapist, as far as she knew, but she wasn't overly fond of the cooking and distribution of heroin and other opiates.

"Oh, come on, we all know that dope doesn't sleep!" She sing-songed as she made her way through what used to be a living room and into a barren, decrepit, and downright filthy kitchen.

Joker watched her move, amused at how much like Catwoman she was – sexy, stealthy, silent, and sneaky. He reminded himself to get her measurements and have a suit made for her so she didn't have to wear and ruin her personal clothes anymore. He snapped himself out of his musings and looked around, making sure no one was waiting in the shadows to attack his Queen as she made her way down a barren hallway and towards a door that led to the basement.

Just before she reached for the doorknob, Joker threw his arm out and pushed her back, bringing a finger up to his crimson lips in a shushing motion. At her puzzled look, he simply nodded his head towards the door and pressed his ear to it. He heard the shuffling of feet and growled low in his throat, pushing Raven back from the door just before he swung it open, firing a shot into the head of the poor bastard that had been standing on the other side of it. As soon as that one dropped, several more men and women started rushing the stairs, all of them armed with some hefty weapons.

"Oh, this is exactly what I needed today!" Jester was laughing, shooting at all of them. "Don't make it too easy on us, now!"

Joker was cackling along with her, shooting at the few that she hadn't gotten to, letting her have most of the fun. When it seemed like there wasn't anyone left, Jester carefully made her way down the stairs, taking care not to trip over any of the bodies she had mowed down. Joker followed her wordlessly, not trusting how quiet it was at the moment. Jester's face broke out into a grin when she stalked into their little cooking area and cornered the man she had been looking for all along.

"Tyler! Tyler, Tyler, Tyler," She advanced on the man slowly, twirling her guns in her hand. "Don't you know it's rude not to greet your guests?"

The kid in question was cowering in the corner, too terrified to reach for the gun on the table in front of him. Jester was too close – she'd put a hole in him before his fingers even closed around the damn thing if he tried. She caught the way he was eyeing her guns and she cackled, slipping them back into the holster. "Oh, I'm not gonna shoot ya," she growled, pulling the garrote Joker got her out of her belt. "I'm going to fucking choke you to death. I heard you like choking, Tyler."

She stretched the garrote menacingly in her hands as she advanced on him like a predator, her eyes flashing with rage. "At least, that's what Cindy told me when she came to me." She looked down at his hands for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "I figured your hands were on the smaller side from the black and blue fingerprints you left on her."

Joker snarled behind her, drawing the kid's attention. "Holy shit," he muttered, sinking to his knees on the floor. "You're _him _– you're the Joker!"

"I'm not the one you should be afraid of," Joker drawled, making his way over to the kid and yanking him up off the ground by the scruff. He dragged him across the room and tossed him carelessly into a chair, looking around for something to tie him down with. Finding nothing, he grinned at the kid and pulled two knives from his jacket, pinning his hands the same way he did Mike's the night before. When Tyler screamed, Joker and Jester cackled with glee, drowning him out.

"You're already crying?" Jester chided, mock-pouting at Tyler. "Goes to show Cindy's got more balls than you do. She didn't shed a single tear, did she?" Tyler was shaking in the chair, sobbing as he stared at his pinned, bleeding hands.

"Please," he begged, meeting Jester's gaze. "I'll do anything. I'll give you money, I'll give you drugs, whatever you want. Just let me go."

Joker burst out laughing, causing Tyler to shudder and wince. Jester simply smiled at him, bringing her face as close as possible to his, nearly nose-to-nose with him.

"Do I look like a fucking dope head to you, Tyler? Do I look like the type of broad that wants your money? Haven't you figured out who I am yet? I'm the fucking grim reaper, Tyler. All I came for is your head, and I intend to _collect_."

Joker clapped with glee as Jester slowly made her way around the back of the chair, slipping the garrote over Tyler's head and holding it taut against his throat. "Any last words, dipshit?" she taunted, licking her lips in anticipation as she prepared to choke the life out of him.

Tyler just cried, screwing his eyes shut.

"Good. I _hate _speeches." With that, Jester jerked her arms back as hard as she could, tightening the garrote as much as possible around his throat before twisting it and looping it around once more, effectively wrapping his entire neck with the weapon. She made eye contact with Joker as she tightened her hold on the handles of the garrote, bracing one foot against the chair Tyler sat in as she leaned back, delighting in the sound of Tyler suffocating.

"Oh baby, I love it when you get rough," Joker growled, maintaining eye contact with her as she strangled Tyler to death with the garrote he had given her.

"I'll show you rough," she purred, using her foot to push Tyler's chair forward as she continued to pull back. She winked at Joker, waiting until Tyler gurgled one last time before she set the chair straight and unwrapped the garrote from around the kid's throat.

"Another notch on my belt," she cooed, ruffling Tyler's hair. He was dead as could be, his lips blue and his eyes wide open, his terrified expression permanently etched on his face. She stretched the garrote out and wiped it off on a towel she found on a nearby table, cleaning off the little bit of blood that had collected on it.

"Let's go, baby," Joker whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He carefully escorted her back up the stairs and giggled as she squirted lighter fluid all over the floors of the kitchen and living room. He pulled a pack of matches from his pocket and pulled two out, lighting them both and handing her one. "Three... two... one," they threw the matches down together before running outside and to Jester's GNX, cackling as they got in and watched the fire inside the house grow.

The car was parked safely across the street from the house. Jester and Joker watched it burn for a little longer until Joker grabbed Jester by her hair and forced her lips to his in a hungry, searing kiss. She moaned into his mouth and fisted his suit jacket in her hands, pulling him as close as she could. His hands tangled in her hair, yanking it hard enough to force her head back. Once her throat was exposed, he bit her as hard as he could at the base of it, delighting in the scream that ripped from her as he drew blood. "If I'm not mistaken, princess, I'd say you _like_ the pain." He grinned wickedly at her, ducking his head to lap up the blood that gushed from the wound before kissing her again.

She dug her nails into his chest through his shirt and growled, biting hard on his bottom lip. "Take your fucking clothes off," she hissed, sliding her way into the backseat and yanking off her sneakers and yoga pants. Joker laughed, exiting the car and sliding into the backseat through the door, careful to close it behind him before removing his suit jacket, shoes and pants. "Now, now, my Queen – you know we can't stay long enough for that. You'll have to just settle for a quickie," he cooed, forcing her down until she was flat on her back. He grinned at her as she licked her lips, eyeing his erection in his boxer briefs. "Is this what you want?" he purred, slowly pulling his stiff cock out of the hole in his briefs.

"Give it to me!" she snarled, thrusting her hips up and jerking her panties down her legs until they were wrapped around just one ankle. Joker chuckled, undoing the bow tie around his neck and unbuttoning his collar, revealing his fresh "Property of Jester" tattoo. He gripped her knees and shoved her legs back to give himself room before leaning down and dragging his tongue slowly up her soaking wet slit. "_Fuck!_" Jester shouted, gripping the handle above her with both hands. "Don't stop!"

Joker chuckled again, his breath tickling her sensitive clit and making her moan. "As you wish," he purred, pulling his gloves off and spreading her with his fingers as he lapped at her folds, sucking on her clit every now and then to make her scream for him.

"J, I'm... _oh_, I'm gonna -" he cut her off, reaching up with one hand to choke her as he continued his ministrations on her. "_Do_ _it_," he snarled. He shoved two fingers inside her, curling them as he pumped them in and out of her, teasing her most sensitive spot as he worked her over. "Cum for me."

And she did, instantly. Joker moaned, licking up every last drop. He climbed back up her body and grabbed her by the back of her neck, kissing her and sharing her own essence with her as he impaled her, pumping frantically in and out of her in his desperation. He had been so turned on by her as she killed everyone in the house, especially when she had strangled that little rapist fuck. The way she looked him in the eye as she did it made him want to fuck her so hard he broke her, and he was planning on doing just that. He gripped her thighs as she screamed under him, pulling her up roughly so he could angle himself better.

"Up!" He barked, gripping her ass and lifting her higher. She obeyed, moaning loudly as she lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around him.

"Good girl," he purred, wrapping a hand around her throat and choking her as hard as he could without forcing her to pass out. Her hands slid up his shirt and made contact with his skin and he shivered as she fiercely raked her nails down his abs.

"Fuck _yes_, princess!" He pulled all the way out of her, carefully lining himself up before plowing back into her as hard as he could. She screamed, her walls tightening around him immediately, and he had to force down his own release as she came again.

"God, you're so _good_," Joker cooed, leaning down to kiss her again. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, hungrily assaulting his mouth, rolling her hips against his as he fucked her.

"_Harder_," she rasped, looking him right in the eye as she met his thrusts with her own. "I know you can fuck me harder than _this_," she fisted a hand in his hair and yanked it as hard as she could.

"Naughty, naughty," he snarled, giving her what she wanted and ramming into her as hard as he possibly could. "You like it when I hurt you, huh? You get off to it just like you get off to killing, don't you? You're a bad, _bad _girl, Jester."

"You get off to it just as much as I do, my love," she purred, forcing his head down by his hair. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and bit it, drawing blood from it. He moaned as she sucked at his split lip, feeling her body tensing again. "_Do_ _it_, you little monster," he whispered. "Cum again for me."

Her muscles clamped down around him and her legs began to quake. He gripped her hips as hard as he could and quickened his pace inside her, feeling his own release building up as hers did. She screamed his name as she shattered, nearly ripping the handle she was holding from the roof of the car. He choked her hard as he came, burying himself as deep as he could inside her. He collapsed on top of her once he had emptied himself, panting and gasping for air.

"Baby?" she finally whispered, her voice cracked and raw from all her screaming. He grinned, sliding her tank top up enough to press a kiss to her tummy before looking up at her. "Yes, my Queen?" he purred.

"I don't think I'm gonna be able to drive." She giggled, pointing at her legs that were trembling underneath him and he laughed.

"I was gonna offer to drive anyway," he teased. "Let's get you dressed and get the fuck outta here before Batsy ruins our little barbecue, huh?"

He carefully slid her panties back on and helped her back into her yoga pants and her shoes before putting his own pants and shoes back on. He got her settled in the passenger seat and climbed into the driver's seat, starting up the car and lighting up a cigarette for her and then one for himself. "When we get home, I'll tell you everything," he muttered, meeting her eyes for a moment before shifting the car into gear and speeding off from the scene like a bat out of hell.

* * *

"Before I say anything, I need your word that you won't leave," Joker was sitting down at their little kitchen table, staring at Jester as she leaned against the counter.

Jester raised her eyebrows at him, narrowing her eyes. "Why would I want to leave, J?" her tone was clipped and he nearly flinched.

"Just promise me, Jester," he reached out and took her hands in his own, stroking the backs of them with his thumbs. "Please."

"Alright, J. You've got my word," she agreed with a sigh. "Now, spit it out. How did you know my father?"

"I want to preface this by saying I didn't know he was the same man you talked about while we were in Arkham – I figured it out just recently, actually, when I sent Johnny to your mom's house." He pressed a kiss to the backs of her hands, buying himself a moment before he had to get on with his explanation.

"I approached your dear old dad ages ago – you were little at the time. Very little. He had been working at the club for only a few years. I made him an offer – he'd come work for me, and I'd pay him more than that asshat Al was in return."

"You told Mike that my dad told you to fuck off," Jester countered, quirking a brow at him. She took her hands from his and crossed her arms, waiting for him to explain.

Joker sighed, running a hand through his hair. "_Precisely_, my darling. Your dad was loyal to Al, and he was smart. He knew who I was, he knew what I was really asking, and he refused the offer. Well, I didn't like that very much, and your dad didn't care – told me to 'fuck off' with a straight face." Joker laughed, a faraway look on his face as he reminisced.

"I remember admiring his strength and his bravery, even his loyalty, so I let him live. I walked away that night and never approached him again. It blew my mind that he'd turn down so much money, especially since he wouldn't have to work three jobs anymore – of course, I didn't realize at the time that more than anything, he was protecting you, your mother and your sister."

"So... that's it? You asked him to work for you, he told you to fuck off, you let him live and walked away? That's your grand reveal?" Jester sighed, sitting down opposite him at the table. "I could've put that together myself, you know."

Joker smiled at her, reaching out and stroking her chin with his thumb. "That's not it, baby," he whispered. "I saw him many, many more times after that. Once your dad got deeper into underground crime, we began crossing paths. He helped me with a few... problems, but never worked _for_ me. We actually got along quite well, you know. He would've been my Johnny if he didn't refuse my offer all those years ago."

Jester's eyes widened at that, but she accepted it just fine. "He told me stories – not ones about you, but he told me tidbits about the things he had done. I'm not too surprised."

"Did he tell you who paid your attorney fees and got your charges dropped to a single, itty bitty misdemeanor the first time you were arrested?"

Her jaw dropped and he chuckled. "He wanted you to have a clean slate, and I did the best I could with it. He didn't want you to be... well, _this_." He motioned to her with his hand, giving her a small smile. "Of course, he eventually realized that you were following in his footsteps no matter what he did, and accepted that you were meant to be... _this_."

"I'm sensing that there's more to this..." Jester sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "Just spit it out already, J."

"I may have uh... broken a _promise _to the old man." Joker rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes. "I gave him my word that I'd never, ever approach you. That obviously included never doing a job for or with you, never having you work for me in any way, never speaking to you, and certainly never doing anything we've done since I met you in Arkham. I didn't know it was you when I met you. It's not like your old man showed me a picture or anything. Never told me your real name, either."

"You thought I'd leave because of that?" Jester asked, reaching out and grasping one of his hands in her own. "Silly clown, I _never _listened to my parents."

Joker grinned at her, holding her hand tight in both of his. "He'd have my head on a pike if he was around for this," Joker laughed, leaning forward in his seat. "He didn't want you anywhere near me because he knew you'd be seduced by the money, the power, and the lifestyle. He predicted that you'd end up crossing paths with me eventually, the same as he did, and he knew that you'd be _interested_."

"He did know me better than anyone," Jester murmured, chuckling a little. "Looks like he was right, huh?" She looked up at him, giving him a winning smile. "I think he'd be alright with it, you know," she added.

Joker raised his eyebrows at her, tilting his head as he regarded her. "Oh?"

She nodded, lacing their fingers together on the table top. "You take good care of me. You protected me in Arkham, you protect me even now, and you always put me first. You love me like no one ever has before, J. You make me happy. All he ever wanted was for me to be happy."

"You mean that?" Joker asked, looking deep into her eyes.

She nodded again, leaning over the table to press a kiss to his cheek. "I really do," she confirmed.

"It's your turn, baby," he reminded her, removing his hands from hers. He leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, watching her closely. "What do you know?"

She sighed, leaning back in her own seat and laying her hands flat on the table before meeting his gaze with her own. "I know about all your... _'Harleys_'. I know this one wasn't your first, and sure as hell wasn't your only."

"Go on..." he growled, his eyes darkening for a split second. She didn't let it bother or unnerve her, she just plowed on.

"I know you created them all, and then killed them when you were tired of them. I know you've been around for decades and you're much, _much_ older than you look." She fixed him with a hard look, leaning forward again in her seat before finishing. "I know that if you hadn't found me, you'd be traipsing around with Harley and you'd kill her within the next few years once you were bored."

His expression didn't change at all as he stared at her, carefully piecing his response together in his head before speaking.

"What will you do, Jester? Will you kill me?" He cocked his head to the side and leaned forward in his seat, folding his hands together on the table. "After all, your job is to eradicate Gotham of all abusive, evil men. Yet here we are, sitting together at our kitchen table as lovers. You _know _how I treated those other women."

"Don't you fucking dare," She hissed, lifting a warning finger and wagging it at him. "Don't go all 'Psychopath Joker' on me. I know you better than that."

He grinned at her, spreading his arms out wide. "You're right. You do know me. You know me _quite_ well, actually. So, I'll ask again. Will you kill me in their honor? Or will you turn a blind eye and be a hypocrite to your own cause?"

"You're being an asshole," she spat, standing up from her chair and stalking out of the kitchen, leaving the apartment entirely and heading down to the closed club for a drink. She sat at the empty bar with a bottle of Jameson, drinking straight from the bottle. She couldn't be bothered with a glass.

She heard his familiar growl right behind her and didn't move or acknowledge him, staring straight ahead at the shelves of liquor and taking another swig from the bottle. _Of course _he would follow her – she scowled as she reminded herself that he would never let her just walk away from him.

"We weren't done talking," he hissed in her ear, gripping the back of her chair in his pale hands.

"Maybe you're not done talking, but _I_ am," she retorted, taking yet another swig. The whiskey burned her throat on the way down, causing her to cough a little. She took a bigger swig from the bottle, still refusing to look at him as he loomed over her from behind.

She could tell from his sharp intake of breath that his eyes were probably darkening and he was more than likely struggling to keep his madness at bay. He hated back-talk, and she knew it.

"If you weren't in love with me, I'd be at the top of your list and we both know it." His voice had returned to normal as he sat beside her, draping an arm over the back of her chair. He ducked his head and looked at her, trying to get her to look back at him, but she refused. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair when she said nothing, opting to chug from the bottle instead. He allowed it for a few moments before snatching the bottle from her, taking a healthy swig of it himself before setting it down on the bar out of her reach.

"I don't know how the hell you found out about them, but you weren't supposed to. No one was. I'm not going to ask how you know, because it doesn't matter now. You wouldn't tell me anyway." He slowly reached up and caressed her cheek with his finger. "What _does _matter is what you'll do about it, Jester. So tell me... will you kill me, leave me, or stay and pretend that I'm not a monster like you've been doing since the night I showed up at the warehouse?'

"You're _not _a monster!" she hissed, finally looking at him. Her eyes burned with her rage, her lips were stretched in a tight, thin line, and her eyebrows were furrowed. He could almost _see_ the war she was waging within her own mind as he looked into her eyes, trying to figure out where she stood with him at this very moment.

"I _am_, Jester, and you know it." He pulled the strap of her tank top to the side and brushed his fingertips over her scar. "You look at this scar every single day, knowing I carved you up like this in a fit of madness, and you still trust and love me anyway. You sleep next to me at night, you let your guard down around me, you allow yourself to be _vulnerable _around me – even after seeing first-hand what I am capable of doing to you."

"I'm capable of doing it to you, too, and you know it." She narrowed her eyes at him and brushed her fingers along the scar on his neck. "We're both capable of hurting each other very, _very _badly, but we don't. Even if we did – even if we gave in to our darker sides and deliberately hurt each other – we'd _never_ be able to kill each other. I stay because you're just as fucked up as me, J, and you understand. You don't run from me, you aren't afraid of me, you don't try to fix me – you accepted me for exactly who and what I am the moment you met me. You gave me the benefit of the doubt and believed in me when everyone else slammed the door in my face and wrote me off."

"That's true," he agreed, reaching his hands up to cup her face. "You're not one of _them_, Jester. You never were. I hope you don't think that I'm doing to you what I did to the others."

"I know you aren't. That's why I stay. You're different with me – you _love_ me, you care about me, and you want me by your side. I don't care how fucked up we are, or how fucked up it is that we're together... you complete me. That's all I care about. I know you won't do it again – those days are over. No more Harleys, no more sidekicks."

"I'll admit _this _Harley was an accident. She wasn't supposed to survive." He put his hands up at Jester's scathing look in a show of surrender. "I'm thankful, in retrospect, that she did. I think you should know that she was the first and only one that I ever threw into a vat at Ace. I never... _transformed _the others."

"What does that have to do with this?" Jester asked, quirking a brow at him.

He sighed, brushing his thumb across her bottom lip. "The point I'm trying to make, Jester, is that I was done with my other _'Harleys' _as soon as I met you. I _was_ trying to create another with Doctor Quinzel until _you_ came along – after that, I just wanted to get rid of her. The moment I first laid eyes on you, I never wanted another woman. I still don't."

Jester didn't say anything. She simply looked at him for a long moment, considering his words, before leaning into him and pressing her lips to his. He returned the kiss, running his hands through her purple hair and sighing into her mouth. "I love you, Jester. I mean it when I say it, and you're the only one I've ever said it to. You'll _always_ be the only one."

"I know," she whispered, burying her head into the crook of his neck and stroking his 'Property of Jester' tattoo with her fingers. "That's why I'm not going anywhere."

"Some people might say you're crazy, you know," Joker jested, chuckling into her hair.

"Didn't you know, baby?" Her tone was laced with amusement. "I wasn't _truly _crazy until I met _you_."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome! Feel free to shoot me some suggestions if you like, I love hearing from you guys! :) Enjoy!

***Side Note: **I've been drawing inspiration not only from Jared Leto's portrayal of the Joker in Suicide Squad, but also from my copy of _'A Serious House on Serious Earth' _(I actually included a joke of his from this comic in this chapter), and the portrayals of the Joker in the games Batman: Arkham Knight and Batman: The Enemy Within. I find them all so, so interesting – especially the evolution of 'John Doe' into the Joker in The Enemy Within. My portrayal of Arkham will also be drawn from these works. :)

* * *

****WARNING: LEMON AHEAD****

* * *

**Two Weeks Later – Arkham Asylum – Therapy Room:**

Jester was roughly shoved into the therapy room by two big, hulking guards, shackled and donning the dingy, faded turquoise Arkham uniform. She cackled with glee, a wide grin on her face as they forced her down into the chair that was bolted to the floor, attaching her shackles to it. "Oh, boys, I _love_ it when you play rough with me," she teased, winking at one of the guards and licking her lips. "See ya soon, big boys!" She waggled her eyebrows at both of them as they made their way out of the room, leaving her alone with the new Doctor – Doctor Brian Mills. She cocked her head to the side, examining his features. Dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, fair skin, a strong, muscular facial structure with a cut jaw. Clean shaven, immaculately dressed, young – around his late 20's, maybe early 30's. She could tell he was tall – probably around Tommy's height, 6'4". He was muscular, she could tell from the way his muscles bulged under his crisp white oxford shirt and his pressed navy blue slacks. An attractive man, really, but certainly not her type.

She had been dragged in by Batman and that little fucker Robin the night before, along with Harley, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and, to their collective surprise – Catwoman. _Looks like the kitty cat was right – Batman dragged her ass right in here with the rest of us. I guess he doesn't take as kindly to betrayal as she does... I mean, she __**did**__ take him replacing her with that slut Talia quite well, after all. _It was true – after Catwoman had shown up to warn them about Batman rounding up all the Rogues and criminals, the sexy, sultry Selina Kyle had cozied up to Jester's cousin Tommy – and Jester didn't mind. Not one bit. If anything, Catwoman was transforming Tommy in a good way – he was tougher, more savage, less morally inclined. He was becoming a ruthless criminal, the same as the rest of them, and Jester had to admit the change was impressive. She liked him better this way – she didn't have to worry about him as much. He'd be able to protect himself. Yes, Selina Kyle had molded Tommy into the perfect bad guy in just two weeks. She was _good._

Mike had apparently been picked up by Gordon himself after he was dumped by Tommy and Johnny and sang like a fuckin' canary. Batsy found the club about a week and a half later, of course, and had surprised them one night while Joker, Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot were out testing some new crew guys. She wondered if Joker was putting their escape plan in motion yet, or if he was taking time out to train up the new crew guys and setting up other safe houses beforehand. It didn't matter – either way, she knew he'd come for her. For all of them. They were something like a family, and _real_ families didn't abandon each other. She and the rest of her group hadn't put up too much of a fight when Gordon, Batman, Robin and the rest of the GCPD raided the club – after all, it was all part of their plan. They knew they'd end up back here in Arkham, and it was true that they had planned out an elaborate escape, but part of that plan was also seizing control of Arkham once and for all. When they were done, Arkham would never, ever be a threat again.

"Let's cut to the chase, Doc," Jester drawled, leaning back comfortably in the chair she was shackled to. "Name's Jester, fuck what you read in my file – that's old news. 27 years old, 5'2", 108 pounds on a good day, my BP is naturally low, I'm aware I'm under my BMI – have been all my life, and you might've noticed my appearance has changed. Let's see... hobbies, right? You guys are such _sticklers _for the hobby question. I like long walks in the woods, usually when I'm dragging a body behind me, and I like reading books. I like writing, singing, gutting grown men like fish and I love to sharpen my skills on the training grounds." She winked at him, noticing that he had shifted a little in his seat – good, she was making him uncomfortable already. She knew that they had figured out who she was – they were well aware of how many she had killed since her escape, which is why she was shackled by the wrists and ankles at all times.

"I eat like a horse, I sleep like a baby, I'm always in a _wonderful _mood. I'm not depressed, no suicidal thoughts, ideas or tendencies... I've got the energy of a thousand rambunctious children, I'm both a home-body and a social butterfly..." she grinned at the young, handsome doctor and mentally heckled him.

_They put me in here with a god damn rookie. How precious. Must've thought his boyish good looks would soften me – ha! Have they not seen my man? No other could ever compare... _

She forced her thoughts of Joker to the back of her mind, not wanting to give anything away in this session or any other. The wicked grin on her pale, pretty face didn't waiver for a single second as she stared into the young Doctor's pretty hazel eyes, piercing through him to his very soul. She almost felt bad for the guy – he could've been a model, maybe an entrepreneur, maybe one of those famous YouTubers or Instagram guys – who knows? Yet here he sat, green as could be, in Arkham Asylum – assigned to the Joker's other half, of _all _people. He had a better shot with that dumb ass Two-Face, the fucking guy could talk for _hours._ But not her, no. She'd make this short and sweet and then make him uncomfortable for the rest of the session, or until he was forced to end it early.

She wondered if she could torment, traumatize, and unravel as many doctors as Joker had – or at least get close. She could have lots of fun with this. In the back of her mind, she wondered how Harley, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Scarecrow were doing – she imagined they must be having just as much fun. As it was, both Harley and Crane were psychiatrists before they were criminals, so they'd probably be knocking their assigned doc's out of the park with little effort. She fought back a laugh, highly amused at Arkham's pathetic attempts to_ 'rehabilitate' _people like them – there was no rehabilitation for them. They weren't sick, they weren't unwell, they weren't suffering – they were all absolutely batshit insane and enjoyed every single minute of it. Any doctors thrown at them would be catapulted into insanity and locked up right here in Arkham along with them. _Poor bastards._

"What else? Let's see, let's see..." She swiveled her eyes around the room, thinking, resisting the urge to twitch her right hand in her desire to mockingly tap her chin in thought. She met his gaze with her own, her aqua green eyes boring into his hazel ones. "Ah, yes. My sex drive is_ extremely _high. Can't blame me, though... I mean, you all know who I'm fucking. I'm sure if you weren't straight as an arrow, you would be soaked at the mere sight of him. Then again, my man _does_ seem to be every psychiatrist's wet dream. Tell me, Doc," she leaned forward in her chair, her eyes glittering with mischief as she slowly licked her lips, taunting him, "do _you _jizz in your pants at the thought of delving into my lover's psyche?"

"Going with shock value, I see," Doctor Mills mused, the corners of his thin lips curving up into a smirk. His voice was deep and gruff, and Jester chuckled.

He was the type that womens' panties would dampen for, but not her. Never her. No, no_, no._ She didn't like the pretty boys that much. They were fun to play with, to manipulate and use up until they were hollow and broken, but they didn't do much for her. She rather enjoyed using and abusing them – they were the exact same type that used to bully her all her life, making fun of her and making her feel inadequate... _ugly. _She loved it when they'd approach her in bars, the grocery store, the gas station... chatting her up, complimenting her, flirting and tossing their numbers at her like pocket change. She'd toy with them, ignoring them and refusing their advances with her chin held high, causing them to become irrationally angry. They were the types that felt women were _obligated _to thank them for their compliments and throw themselves at their feet, worshiping them and practically begging for their attention. They were the types that expected women to chase them, to fall head over heels for them. So when she didn't, and she _never_ did, they'd become angry – they'd seek her out, ask her what her problem was, call her a bitch and other unsavory names. She'd laugh, further embarrassing them, and publicly emasculate them.

Like clockwork, they'd always contact her a few days later with shitty, lame apologies, and she'd string them along for another few days, maybe even a week until they were practically begging to see her. Eventually, she'd free up some time in her '_busy_ _schedule'_ and meet them for drinks, smirking when they paid the entire tab but feigning surprise, and then she'd fuck them – she'd bite them, scratch them, dominate them – she'd drain them dry and then get dressed and walk out, telling them not to catch feelings and never to call her again because she wasn't the 'relationship type'. That _always _broke them. She lost count of how many bewildered, empty men she'd leave in her wake, and how many of them would ask her if she _really _wasn't going to spend the night, giving her the same sad puppy-eyes that clingy women gave men that did the same. She loved turning the tables on them, reversing the roles. The hunted became the hunter, the prey became the predator, the submissive became the dominant. Men never, ever knew how to handle that flip – it always unraveled them, and she thrived on emasculating and mentally breaking them. It got her off, sure, but _nothing_ got her off like her King did. Nothing.

"If you prefer to call the truth 'shock value', sure." She bit her bottom lip, noticing his eyes had traveled down to them, and lowered her eyelids. "My eyes are up here, Brian," she taunted, grinning at the way his eyes widened slightly at her use of his first name.

He recovered quickly, and she could tell he was determined not to let her shake him. _Challenge accepted, Brian. _

"Let's talk about your new tattoos," he said, setting his writing pad and pen down on the table before leaning forward and folding his hands together over it. "Last time you were here, you didn't have any... now you've got quite a collection."

"Don't tell me you've been jerking it to my mugshot, Brian," she tutted, lifting a finger and wagging it at him in scolding. "That's naughty." She knew as well as he did that none of her tattoos were visible under her Arkham uniform – she had purposely worn the long-sleeved shirt and left the sleeves down instead of rolling them up for that very reason. She wanted to know just how far this prick had delved into her file.

"It's _Doctor Mills_ to you, Raven." He cast her a scolding look and the corner of her mouth twitched. "They've been recorded in your file, as you know," he continued calmly, keeping a straight face. "Joker's name tattooed on the left side of your chest, a big black and gray mandala designed butterfly tattooed on your right inner arm with your niece's first and middle name and her birth and death dates, Arabic lettering taking up the entirety of your left inner arm with your father's birth and death dates under it, a garter tattoo on your left thigh that mirrors the 'HA-HA-HA' tattoo on Joker's chest, and let's see... there's one more..." He smirked at her before pointing to the right side of her neck where her father's last name, in Arabic lettering, was barely visible above the collar of her Arkham shirt. "Your family name, in Arabic, tattooed on your neck. Tell me – why Arabic lettering? Is it because your father was Lebanese?"

"Look out, folks! We've got a genius here!" Jester hollered theatrically, grinning madly at him. "Please excuse my poor manners – I'd applaud you, but I'm afraid I'm a little _tied up _at the moment." She jerked her forearms a little, rattling her chains as she did.

"You know that if you behave and work with me, I can put in a request to have your shackles removed... for _good_."

"Aw Doc, are you sweet on me already?" She winked at him and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Write this down, sweetheart. Keep the chains on – I like it _kinky_."

"I think that's all for today, Raven," Doctor Mills said calmly, standing from his seat and briskly walking to the door.

"Brian," she sing-songed, stopping him in his tracks. "From this moment on, every time you call me 'Raven', a member of your family will be slaughtered. Maybe I'll start with your little sister, Dana. Maybe she'll be picked up one day on her walk to school, and you'll never see her again – not until she's sent back to your parents in pieces, placed nicely in the mailbox in a pretty gift-wrapped box."

Brian wrenched the door open and thrust his thumb back in her directions. "Get her out of here," he spat, stepping aside to let the guards in. He refused to make eye contact with her as the guards dragged her out of the room and past him to the hallway. Jester's laughter echoed around the therapy room long after she was gone, sending chills down Doctors Mills' spine. He understood now why they had cautioned him against taking her case – she wasn't the same girl that had escaped just a few months ago. She was worse now – she was a _monster_. Gone was the wounded, lonely victim of domestic violence. What sat before him today was a cold-blooded murderer with no conscience, no remorse, and no compassion. He could only imagine how much worse it would be to sit across from The Joker himself – his other half, after all, seemed no different than the Clown Prince of Crime.

* * *

"Hiya Jestah!" Harley waved her over as she entered the Recreation Room, looking around bemusedly. "They let you come and play with us, huh?"

Jester giggled. "Something about the _'new Arkham'_ and their desperate bid to rehabilitate us and treat us... _fairly._"

"Last time I was here I was locked up in max, never allowed out to play or socialize." Scarecrow was sitting at the table with Harley, indulging her in a game of checkers.

Jester nodded. "Yeah... Joker was always locked up, too. They kept him in a straitjacket even in his cell. Neither of us ever saw this room. We only ever went to therapy and then we were dumped right back in our damp, nasty ass cells."

"Speaking of him..." Catwoman chimed in, eyeing Jester. "When can we expect to get the hell out of here?"

Jester shrugged, looking around carefully at all the orderlies in the room and the guards at the gate. "Not sure. I suppose he's training up the new guys and setting things up..."

She didn't need to explain herself, they all understood what she meant.

Poison Ivy huffed at Jester's other side, folding her arms haughtily over her chest. "I need more light. I need to be in the greenhouse. I need plants... I need _stimulation." _

Jester frowned at her. "I'm sorry, gorgeous. We'll be out of here soon, I promise. In the meantime, let's just have some _fun_." A devilish grin spread across her face as she took a box from Catwoman. "Thanks, pussycat." She looked at the box and giggled. It was a unicorn puzzle meant for kids between the ages of 9-12 and she clapped with glee. "I _love _unicorns! How'd ya know?"

"I told her," Harley supplied, winking at Jester. Jester leaned over and nuzzled Harley's nose, making her giggle. "I like these," she mused, tugging playfully at one of Harley's high pigtails.

"I miss my fucking makeup," Catwoman groaned, running a hand through her long black tresses. "I mean, what the fuck are we supposed to do? Look like we just crawled out of our own _graves_ every day? I'm much too vain for this, this is cruel and unusual punishment if you ask me."

Jester, Harley and Poison Ivy sighed. "My lipstick," Jester whined, dropping her chin in one hand while the other lazily pulled the puzzle pieces from the box, one by one.

"My pink and blue eye shadow," Harley groaned.

"I think you're all gorgeous regardless," Scarecrow chirped quietly, smiling at each of them.

"Aww, scaredy-crow, we love you too," Jester cooed, patting his hand with hers.

"So, how'd your therapy session go?" Scarecrow asked, a knowing grin on his face.

"As well as yours, I'd imagine," Jester countered, winking at him.

Harley laughed, drawing the orderlies' attention. "These doctors are quacks," she said, winking and blowing kisses at the orderlies. "Seriously, they're fuckin' green as grass."

"Yeah, they stuck me in a room with a fucking Abercrombie model and I broke him down in the first twenty minutes. He kicked me out." Jester was chuckling to herself, her eyes glittering with malice. "They should know I don't like to be called by my old name anymore. I can't help it if I get a little, uh... _rude _when they call me by the wrong name."

"Threatened to kill the family, didn't ya? Thought you'd save that for the third session." Catwoman was smirking at her, clearly amused.

"He called me 'Raven' twice. Not once, but _twice._" Jester scowled, recalling the way the name rolled off his tongue. She knew he had been doing it on purpose – he wanted to unravel her, to get a reaction out of her. He wanted her to lose control – to lose her temper or start shouting that she wasn't that person anymore. He was trying to force her into opening up, even just a little, but she was too smart for that. _Rookie mistake._

"They're... _experimenting _with us. They're letting us in the Rec Room, they put us all in neighboring cells – not even max cells, either. They keep us shackled instead of forcing us inside straitjackets... They're watching us. They want to see how we interact, how we affect each other – what we're going to do. They're not stupid. We came pretty easily, they know we are up to something." Scarecrow was careful to keep his voice low and not look up from the checkerboard as he spoke.

"I know," Jester agreed. "Doesn't matter what they see or hear, really. We'll be running this place in no time. They'll all be dead."

"Indeed," Scarecrow agreed, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Can someone rub my wrists for me? They cuffed me a little tight... they're raw."

"Oh dear," Poison Ivy sighed, eyeing the bright red marks on Scarecrow's wrists. "You poor thing. I'd help you but... well," she looked down at her pale skin and sighed, "I'm still toxic, even with the shit they keep injecting me with."

"I got ya," Harley chirped, gently wrapping her fingers around his wrists over the checkerboard. "You do me, I'll do you," she winked at him and giggled when he winked back.

Jester got started on her puzzle with Catwoman and Poison Ivy helping her, all of them chatting quietly among themselves about how stupid their rookie doctors are and how they couldn't wait to see what Joker had been working on outside of Arkham. He had told them he was revamping one of his old hideouts and they'd have a blast there once it was done – Jester knew it was another version of a safe house, just more... _interesting. _She knew it could take a couple of weeks or so to get out of here and they'd all have to just play the game and be patient while Joker, Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot worked on the outside to get them out. She was fine with that. Sure, she had been anxious about coming back and didn't want to, but this time she had her friends with her and she was in control – she knew what to expect, she had more freedom and privileges, she knew Joker was coming for her, and she would have fun breaking Doctors down in the meantime.

Joker... oh, how she missed him. She couldn't sleep all night on her shitty little cot without him, wondering what he was doing, where he was, if he was lying awake thinking of her, too. She missed his touch, his voice, his laugh. She missed his natural musk and the smell of his cologne, she missed sleeping in his shirts and having his body wrapped snug against hers as they slept at night. She missed driving her GNX and riding in the purple Lamborghini. She missed lazy lie-ins on the weekends, bubble baths, long, hot showers with him and the sex... oh, _God, _she missed the sex.

"I have billions of eyes, yet I live in darkness. I have millions of ears, yet only four lobes. I have no muscle, yet I rule two hemispheres. What am I?" Riddler had sauntered over to their table, a huge grin on his face and his hair completely disheveled.

"Oh, for fuck's sake. First, they give us horseshit coffee, now _this_," Jester groaned, dropping her head in her hands.

"Wrong! The answer is 'the human brain'. Golly, Jester, you weren't even _close!" _Riddler was leaning over her chair from behind, watching the game of checkers that Harley and Scarecrow were playing and staring at the beginnings of her unicorn puzzle.

"What do you want, Riddler?" Scarecrow drawled, not bothering to look up from the board.

"I'm _hurt_, guys. I wanna be a part of your little friendship circle. We can make bracelets!" Riddler was clapping with glee as Two-Face and the Mad Hatter made their way over, grinning at everyone.

"Think of it like this – this is the VIP booth, and you guys weren't invited," Poison Ivy supplied, flicking her wrist dismissively at the three men.

"So Batman's girlfriend gets in and _we _don't?" Two-Face countered, glaring at Catwoman.

"Got a problem, Harvey?" Catwoman spat, glaring back up at him from her seat. "I really should've offed you a long time ago."

Two-Face laughed. "That's not very nice, kitty cat."

"I've got a good one, guys, I swear. Ready?" Riddler was still grinning, steepling his fingers together behind Jester as he prepared to give them another riddle. "There are three men in a boat with four cigarettes but no matches. How do they manage to smoke?"

Scarecrow noticed Jester's fist clenching and locked eyes with her, making the most minute shake of his head he possibly could in warning. "That's what they _want_," he whispered, reaching out and covering her fist with his hand. "Don't."

"Fuck off, Riddler," Harley spat cruelly, annoyed by the man's eccentricity. "It's too early for this shit."

"But the answer is _so good!"_ Riddler argued, looking affronted.

"Fine, fine." Scarecrow straightened up in his seat, his shackles dragging along the table as he moved his hands to rest in his lap. "The answer is: they threw a cigarette overboard and made the boat a cigarette lighter. Are you finished?"

"I miss my Alice," Mad Hatter sighed, looking lost as he stood beside Two-Face. "They took her from me. My poor, sweet Alice..."

"I swear to god, if these fucking morons don't leave..." Jester's voice was a low yet feral sounding growl, and even Catwoman backed off a little from her.

"Okay, okay. That one was too easy. How about another? 'If you say my name, I disappear. Who am I?'" Riddler still hadn't gotten the hint, gripping the back of Jester's seat and leaning over her as he eyed everyone excitedly.

"_Who Am I? __**Who**__. __**Am**__. __**I**__?" _A mocking voice – a _very _familiar, mocking voice – came from behind them and Jester dared not to turn her head. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her stomach was doing flips, her entire body went numb, and her mouth went dry. Her pupils were dilated and her jaw was clenched, and she could tell from the looks on Scarecrow's and Catwoman's faces that she wasn't imagining it – her King had arrived.

"You'll be a rotting, stinking _corpse _if you don't get away from my Queen," Joker hissed, breaking out of the hold the two burly guards had on him and stalking over to the Riddler.

The orderlies in the room became alert at the sound of Joker's voice, watching with relief as the two guards that had been escorting him caught up with him just before he grabbed Riddler. "Control yourself, clown, or you'll end up in solitary!" One of the burly guards grunted, jerking Joker away from Riddler by the arm. Joker cackled, his laughter causing all activities and conversations in the room to completely stop.

"Get your arm off me, cocksucker, or you'll end up with a broken face." He growled, looking the man straight in the eye as he said it. The guard backed off, signaling to the other one to leave the room. After all, everyone knew that despite Joker's average height and build, he was a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with. He had killed many, many guards in Arkham with his bare hands – shackles and all. This was _far_ from his first rodeo.

As soon as the guards left the room and shut the gate behind them, Joker turned back to Riddler and grabbed him by the shackles, wrenching him roughly away from Jester and her chair. "_Go_. _Away_." He snarled it, his eyes turning nearly black as his temper soared. Riddler, Two-Face, and the Mad Hatter didn't need a second warning – they made their way very quickly to the other side of the room, not even daring to make eye contact with Jester.

"Did you miss me, baby?" he cooed, leaning over Jester and pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I sure missed you."

She bit back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes and grinned, leaning her head back and looking up at him. "What are you doin' here, Mister J?" she crooned, puckering her lips at him.

He giggled and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips and wrapping a possessive hand loosely around her throat, ignoring the looks from the guards, the orderlies and the other patients. "I just told ya! I missed you. I couldn't sleep without my songbird."

He politely thanked Scarecrow who had gotten an empty chair from another table and pushed it next to Jester, sitting down once Scarecrow was back in his seat next to Harley. "I brought you guys some presents," Joker grinned wickedly, reaching into his pockets and pulling out several tubes of lipstick, eye shadows, eye liners and eye smudges, cigarettes, lighters, and photographs.

"How the hell...?" Jester was amazed, happily grabbing up her favorite lipstick, eyeliner, cigarettes, a lighter and picking up the photographs. The photographs were of all of them – and there were copies of each one for all of them to keep. One was of her, Harley, Poison Ivy and Catwoman dressed up and dancing at the club, one was a group shot of all of them, sitting in the VIP section of the club and all laughing and talking. One was of just her and Joker as she was draped in his lap, wearing her favorite purple dress that he had bought for her – it was exactly the same as the one she had worn the night of the Ace Chemicals incident. They were in the VIP booth of the club, grinning madly at each other and nose-to-nose, with her arms around his neck and his arms tightly wrapped around her waist. He was wearing his purple shirt that matched her hair, dress, and the Lambo, black pants and dress shoes, and his cane was leaning against the couch next to his leg. His shirt was wide open, as always, showing his tattoos and his pale skin and all his jewelry. Her jewelry was caught nicely in the photo as well – she could even make out the words 'Property of Joker' on her dog tag necklace. Another photo was of just Deadshot and Harley, with Harley on his back grinning wickedly as he feigned an annoyed look on the training grounds. Another was of Catwoman and Tommy – Catwoman was dressed normally, as Selina Kyle, in a tight strapless black bandage dress and tall black stiletto heels. Tommy was wearing one of his brand new black Armani suits and they were both sitting happily together, with Tommy's arm draped around Selina's shoulders and her nuzzling into his side, a wide grin on her black lips.

As Jester was marveling over the photographs, Joker slid his hand into her lap and tucked something into her pocket. She slowly turned her gaze to him, careful not to move her head, and raised an eyebrow in question. He smiled, nudging her with his elbow, and she reached into her pocket, feeling her necklaces and bracelet inside it. She let a couple of tears slip down her cheek as she thumbed the pendant with her dad's ashes in her pocket, grateful that he had somehow gotten it back for her. "Thank you," she rasped, trying to hide the emotion in her voice. He chuckled, shushing her, and kissed her temple.

"Your father should always be with you, baby, no matter where you go. Wait to put it on – I'll give you the signal. You'll need me to help you."

"How did you do all of this?" she whispered, ignoring the amused and even giddy looks on their friends' faces.

Joker laughed. "It's _me, _baby. I told you, I always get what I want. By the way, the babies are being well taken care of – Tommy knows their feeding schedule and how much pumpkin, green beans, bone broth and kibble to give them. Johnny's got your GNX and the Lambo locked up safe and sound in a secure location, and we got ourselves about 50 new guys that are competent and show a lot of... _potential. _Even had the dogs screen 'em." Jester smiled at that, and Joker laced their fingers together under the table.

He looked around the table and lowered his head and his voice, watching the orderlies out of the corner of his eye. "The safe house is still safe, and my big project is underway. We'll be outta here in a month or less, just gotta sit tight and wait for the boys to give the signal."

"What about my plants?" Poison Ivy sighed, looking downright depressed.

"Well taken care of," Joker assured her with a grin. "Johnny knows what he's doing."

"How's my puddin'?" Harley asked, cocking her head to the side.

Joker laughed. "Floyd's fine. He's training Tommy and the new guys with Johnny. They're busy little bees, those guys. Wait 'til you see what we have in store for you guys when we're outta here." Joker winked and slid his hand out of Jester's, slowly running it up her thigh. Once he reached the top of her thigh, he curled his hand around her inner thigh in a bruising grip, teasing her center with his pinky through the fabric.

Jester fought the urge to moan or react in any way, knowing everyone was watching, and decided to get even instead. She did the same to Joker, resting her hand lightly right over the bulge in his Arkham pants. He played the game well, barely even blinking at her touch.

"So, tell me how your first sessions went. Make me proud," he grinned at everyone, leaning back arrogantly in his seat. Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley had grabbed up all their makeup and were currently looking through the photos, and Scarecrow was subtly scanning the room, keeping a lookout.

"I think my rookie Doc wants to fuck me, babe. To be honest, I'm not sure who he wants to fuck more – Raven, or Jester." Jester grinned wickedly at Joker, delighting in the way his eyes darkened at the suggestion that another man dared to lust after what was _his._

"Is that right?" he growled, yanking her seat closer to his and tracing his tongue along the column of her throat. He made eye contact with several orderlies as he did it, daring them to even _look _at his woman. They all avoided eye contact and made themselves busy, distancing themselves from him as much as they possibly could.

Jester tilted her head back and to the side, exposing her throat to him. He kissed her softly along the Arabic lettering on her neck, nuzzling her a little with his nose before continuing his path from the base of her neck to her jawline. "Tell me what happened," he growled in her ear, tightening his grip on her thigh. She sighed, tilting her head a little further to the side to give him better access and he grinned at the show of submission. "What happened to my independent little bird that didn't submit to _anyone_?" he whispered, pressing a kiss to the skin between her jaw and her ear.

She grinned. "She died. Now she's an independent little clown that only submits to her King."

Joker chuckled at that, cupping the back of her head in his hand and slowly tilting her head forward. "Don't submit so easily in front of an audience, princess," he whispered in her ear, motioning with his hand to the looks all the guards, orderlies and other patients were giving them. "They'll use that against us." She nodded, getting back to her unicorn puzzle.

"So..." she began, taking in a deep breath. She explained her entire therapy 'session' to the group, busying herself with her puzzle as she did, and grinned at the way Joker and her friends chuckled and laughed at Doctor Mills' stupidity.

When she was finished, Joker had a very contemplative look on his face, and she didn't like it. "What are you cooking up in that brilliant mind of yours?" she asked, eyeing him skeptically.

"You won't like it," he muttered, plopping his shackled hands down on the tabletop with a loud _thud. _He cackled when several people in the room bristled and even flinched at the sound, reveling in the fact that he always ran this Asylum with an iron fist, no matter how many times he'd ever gotten out and how long he'd been gone each time. "I want you to roll with it. Play nice. Wrap the rookie Doc around your finger – make him think he's making progress. Feed him lies. Seduce him. Taint his mind. It'll make getting out of here much easier if we all break our Doctors down and make them more..." he winked at Jester, grinning before finishing his sentence, "_complacent." _

"You want me to _seduce _the idiot?" Jester whispered harshly, her eyes flashing with her rage for a moment.

"I'm not telling you to _fuck him, _Jester. Just..." he brought his face closer to hers until their lips were nearly touching, "have him _begging_ for it."

"He's right, Jestah – after all, that's what he did to me," Harley grinned at Joker and laughed. "I gave him a god damn machine gun, for Christ's sake."

Jester was almost horrified at how hilarious Harley found her own mental turmoil until she remembered how much better off Harley really was now. She went from a stuck up, stuffy, lovesick and pathetic Doctor with no self-respect and no spine to a brave, proud, confident woman who didn't give a flying fuck what anyone thought about her and had a spine of steel. She also landed herself Deadshot and made one hell of an accomplice. Indeed, she was _much _better off.

"Fine," She agreed, indulging Joker by pressing a soft, sultry kiss to his crimson smeared lips. "But if that fucking greenie puts a single hand on me, I'm ripping his guts out through his fuckin' _throat_."

"That's my girl," Joker purred, nipping at her shoulder. "We gotta do something with this outfit – I want my name showing at all times. This simply _won't_ _do_."

"Yeah, I feel a little too stuffy in this thing," Harley complained, pulling at her Arkham shirt. Poison Ivy and Catwoman nodded their agreement, wrinkling their noses.

"We're here as mental patients, my darlings," Scarecrow cooed, tutting at them. "It isn't a fashion show. Believe me, I miss my suits. I miss my mask."

"I miss my suits too, buddy. I feel your pain there. I really, _really_ do." Joker looked mournful for a moment. "Just bear with me for about a month, alright? I know you'll all have fun destroying your Doctors' little minds in the meantime – and, I'm in a cell right across from _you_, baby." He grinned at Jester, reaching out to pluck up some puzzle pieces that were out of her reach.

"Neighbors," Scarecrow mused, grinning at Joker.

"You have big shoes to fill, pal. My last cell neighbor was legendary." Joker pecked Jester on the forehead and laughed. "I have a fun idea – a game, if you will. While we're stuck here, let's see who can cause the most mischief. Nothing's off the table – torturing guards, causing riots, smacking orderlies around, stealing from the offices, bribing guards, death threats... it gets far too _stale_ in here after awhile."

They were all escorted out of the Rec Room awhile later with malicious grins on their faces, looking very forward to all the trouble and damage they were about to cause.

* * *

"What'd ya sing last night?" Joker called over, standing at the door of his cell with his hands wrapped loosely around the bars.

Jester smiled shyly, twirling her purple hair in her finger. "It was stupid," she muttered, blushing a little.

"It was beautiful," Scarecrow sighed, looking at her dreamily. "Sing it for him, Jester! He'll love it."

"Oh Jester, please sing it again!" Harley begged from the cell next to her, a whine in her voice.

Jester looked to her left and saw Poison Ivy nodding her agreement, and then to Catwoman to the left of the Joker who was also encouraging her.

"We really wouldn't mind hearing it again," Catwoman urged, smiling at her.

"The audience has spoken," Joker teased, grinning at her. "Sing for us, my little bird."

He sensed her hesitation and turned his head to the side, slowly stroking his fingers down the raven tattooed on his neck. He was pulling at her heartstrings and it worked. She hissed at him, giving him a scathing look before settling herself down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to calm her racing heart and the butterflies in her stomach. "Alright," she said, loud enough for them all to hear. She peeked over her feet at Joker who was still watching her intently, the grin on his face replaced with a more somber, serious look. "Here it goes..."

"_I am not the only traveler_

_Who has not repaid his debt_

_I've been searching for a trail to follow again_

_Take me back to the night we met_

_And then I can tell myself_

_What the hell I'm supposed to do_

_And then I can tell myself_

_Not to ride along with you_

_I had all and then most of you_

_Some, and now none of you_

_Take me back to the night we met_

_I don't know what I'm supposed to do_

_Haunted by the ghost of you_

_Oh, take me back to the night we met_

_When the night was full of terror_

_And your eyes were filled with tears_

_When you had not touched me yet_

_Oh, take me back to the night we met_

_I had all and then most of you_

_Some, and now none of you_

_Take me back to the night we met_

_I don't know what I'm supposed to do_

_Haunted by the ghost of you_

_Take me back to the night we met..."_

She lit a cigarette as she finished, blinking back the tears that pooled in her eyes as she sang the song, recalling how sad and alone she felt the night before without Joker by her side or at least in the neighboring cell. She didn't know when she'd see him again, and the reality of being back in Arkham without him was almost too much for her to handle. She had cried when she sang the song last night, not realizing everyone had heard her. She was thankful that none of them heard her crying – or, if they had, they hadn't brought it up.

"Little J," she heard his soft voice and sat up, biting her bottom lip to stop it from quivering as her aqua eyes met his blue ones. "I loved it, princess," he crooned, grinning at her. He dropped his voice, beckoning her forward with his finger. She slowly made her way to her cell door, and they both looked up and down the corridor to make sure no guards or orderlies were nearby. "I'm here now, baby. Don't you cry." His voice was so soft and low she would've sworn she was hearing things if she hadn't watched his lips move.

She gave him a small smile and blinked again, quickly using her sleeve to wipe away the wetness in her eyes. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love _you_," he whispered back, watching her from where he stood – a mere 8 feet from her. She never thought an 8 foot distance would feel more like a mile.

"Hey, Joker, who's your Doc?" Catwoman was curious, leaning against her cell door.

Joker laughed maniacally, causing a few gasps and cries from other inmates to echo down the corridor. "Some old guy with around 30 years experience under his belt. Got a bunch of doctorates and certificates and shit. Worked with that idiot John Wayne Gacy. I guess I'm supposed to be impressed with his uh... _clown _experience." Joker rolled his eyes and sneered, beginning to pace in his cell. "The gall this guy has! Grouping me in with that... that _commoner. That peasant! _He dressed as a circus clown, touched and raped little boys and murdered them, stuffing them into a crawlspace in his basement. What the _fuck _does he have in common with me?"

"They're playing off the 'serial killing clown' aspect. It's got nothing to do with the little boys and everything to do with the clown identity perspective." Scarecrow sounded bored. He was leaning against the bars that separated his cell from Joker's, watching him as he paced. "Quite frankly, it's an insult of an astronomical proportion. I say you should kill him."

"How rude," Poison Ivy cut in. "That's as tactless and disrespectful as grouping you in with that idiot Zsasz."

"Or grouping Ed Gein in with Ted Bundy – two completely different leagues, two completely different personalities, with completely different victims." Jester shook her head, ashing her cigarette on the floor of her cell. "This is another little experiment, like Scarecrow said earlier. This is how they think they're going to get a reaction from you. This is their uh..." Jester almost choked on the giggle that bubbled up her throat at the mere _thought _of her next word, "_breakthrough."_

Harley nodded her agreement, laughing at Jester's words. "Jestah's right, Mistah J. They know this is an insult – they're playing on your narcissism and your intelligence."

"It's as if I have to train them like dogs," Joker muttered. "Every time I'm in here, they try some 'new' theory or experiment... it always ends up with _so much death. _See, with dogs, it's easy. Right, Jester?" Jester nodded at him, grinning. She knew where he was going with this. He continued, still pacing in his cell.

"Take Karma and Hades for example. I watched Karma take off on Jester the other day, acting like she was gonna just run off and not come back. All Jester did was turn her back and walk calmly back towards the house, not saying a single word or even beckoning for Karma to come to her. All of a sudden there was this _noise, _like – like _**thunder**__!" _He chuckled, stopping his pacing for a moment to relish the sound of Jester's laughter.

"And there was Karma, running _hard – _like those Clydesdale horses do, and she was hot on Jester's heels in _seconds. _She hasn't done it again since. One lesson was all it took, and she's a _dog. _They have the mentalities and intelligence of 3 year old human children and only learn about 200-300 words, which is impressive – but when you think about it, they're just four legged toddlers, you know? But they learn so _easily. _Then you've got these..." he barked a laugh, throwing his head back and running his hands through his vibrant green hair which Jester noticed was a lot shorter than usual, probably in preparation of not being able to maintain it in Arkham for awhile, "_'Professionals', _you know? And after decades of playing this game with me, _they still don't get it." _

Harley and Catwoman were giggling. Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and Jester were all sharing nearly the same amused expressions, quiet and relaxed in their cells. They had all entered their cells earlier in the evening to find picture frames and small mirrors in their cells – the frames to hold their photos in, and the mirrors, well... that was obvious. They had all set the photos they'd kept in the frames and set them up on their little nightstands, happy to have something familiar in their dreary, ugly, damp, cold cells.

Jester found a carton of cigarettes and several packs of matches tucked under her mattress along with a photo of her dad, and she had beamed at the Joker in a silent thank you. She set up the photos of her father, her and the Joker, her and the girls, and their group photo in the frames and lined them all up on her little nightstand, happy to have something nice and 'homey' in her cell. She wished she could have a picture of her niece, her nephew, and her cousin Tommy, but she understood why Joker didn't provide any – Tommy's identity needed to remain a secret, and her niece and nephew could be used against her by other inmates or personnel. He was still protecting her, even now.

Joker had slipped her necklaces and bracelet back on her before they had been escorted out of the Rec Room, happy to see her smiling again. He knew she must've thrown one hell of a fit when they took her jewelry from her, _especially _her father's ashes. He knew she was too smart to do it during intake, or in front of any guards or orderlies, and surmised that she must've been singing last night not to fall asleep, but to soothe herself as she cried alone in her cell. He knew her almost too well. Most of the reason he asked her what song she had sang last night, in fact, was to toggle just how hurt and broken she was the night before after the trauma he _knew _her intake and being back in Arkham caused her. As he expected, he was right – the song she sang was her lamenting not only his loss, but her father's as well. The lyrics said it all.

He watched her in her cell as she sat on her cot, smoking and looking fondly at the pictures on her nightstand. The lyrics of the song bounced around in his head, in no sort of order or sequence. _"When the night was full of terror, and your eyes were filled with tears." _His heart hurt as he pictured her in that very cot, curled tightly in a ball with her arms wrapped around her knees, muffling her sobs and her cries of anguish as her tears dampened her pillow and her shirt. He realized, at that moment, that she had done that same exact thing the night he met her – when she had turned her back to him and began singing, she was crying. He felt a twinge of guilt, realizing all the signs had been right there and he hadn't picked up on them – hadn't known.

"_Take me back to the night we met." _He slowly backed up from his cell door and made his way to his cot, sitting down on it to rest for a moment. _The night we met, _he thought. Of course – she had been wishing it was like her first night in Arkham when she met him. He knew that despite being surrounded by their friends, she was missing him and needed his presence to calm and relax her and make her feel safe. He imagined that must've been how she felt that first night – no, they didn't know each other yet, but she wasn't alone on what he knew was one of the worst nights of her life. Sure, she had come in cackling and basking in her insanity, covered head to toe in her ex's blood, but it was her first kill, her first night ever in Arkham, and her intake had been... _rough. _He leaned back against the wall as he sat on his cot, happy to be free of shackles and a god damn straitjacket.

"_I don't know what I'm supposed to do, haunted by the ghost of you." _He frowned, realizing this was the part that had to do with her father. He didn't know the exact story or specifics, he just knew that her dad had _just_ turned 60 when he died. He knew she held her father in her arms as he died, and she knew he had died on her sister Rae's birthday. He knew her father had been sick for a few years, but even then, the death was very sudden and unexpected. He never told her and he was careful not to let her catch him, but he'd hear her talking to her dad now and then. She'd be alone in the bedroom, or the bathroom, and sometimes she'd even wake up in the middle of the night and she'd be _talking _to someone.

"It really _is _you." A gruff, gravelly voice snapped Joker out of his thoughts and he snapped his head towards the source of it, narrowing his eyes at the guard currently glaring at Jester through the bars of her cell. "You killed my nephew, you fucking freak show."

Joker felt his madness threatening to take over as his temper rose, knowing this guard wasn't even close to done with his little 'visit'. Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Harley, and Catwoman had all snapped their heads in the guard's direction, slinking to their cell doors and walls to get as close as they could to the fight unfolding in front of them.

"Which one was he? God, there's just – there's _so many,_" Jester drawled, grinning wickedly at the guard from where she sat on her cot. She lit up another cigarette, blowing the smoke at the guard and threw her head back as she cackled.

"You think this is funny, you little cunt?" the guard snapped, reaching for the keys on his belt.

Joker's eyes widened, realizing this piece of shit was about to open Jester's cell. He caught Harley's eye and nodded at her, signaling her to help Jester any way she could – he knew it wasn't even necessary, Harley would kill for Jester without a second's hesitation. "I don't believe that calling inmates 'cunts' is in '_Being an Arkham Guard 101 For Dummies.'" _Joker drawled lazily, standing up and making his way to his cell door. "You should apologize to the lady," he growled, catching the guard's eye. He raked his eyes over the man, taking in his short and stocky appearance, grinning madly. The man couldn't have been much taller than 5'7", and he was chubby, bald, and looked to be in his mid 50's. While he had the guard distracted, Harley pulled a pen out of her hair and handed it to Jester through the bars that divided their cells. Both clowns had absolutely evil looks on their faces as they watched Joker engage and distract the guard, hoping that it would escalate so they could get a jump start to their trouble making.

"Shut up, clown," the guard snapped. Joker laughed, delighting in the way the man visibly shuddered at the sound, and took a second to read his name off of his uniform. He and the rest of the group had studied every single file Louis had brought back the day of the meeting, memorizing names, family trees, addresses, etc.

"Officer Graham, is it?" Joker asked, feigning innocence as the guard came closer, nearly nose to nose with him.

"I said shut up!" Officer Graham barked, bashing his club against the bars of Joker's cell threateningly. Joker laughed again, throwing his head back and letting his hair fall out of place as he did.

"I've had enough of you fucking clowns. I don't know why we don't just fry all of you – there's no reason to keep any of you alive. You should all be put down like rabid fucking animals." Officer Graham reached once again for his keys and secured them in his hand, pulling out the master key that would open Joker's cell.

Joker's laughter stopped and he lowered his head, glaring right into the guard's eyes. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he snarled, watching as Officer Graham brought the key closer to his cell door. "Unless you want me to rip your throat out with my teeth." Joker snapped his teeth threateningly at the man, the metal grills shining under the dim lights in the corridor. "Do you know how many guards I've killed here over the years? Let me make it easier on you – do you know how many I killed with my bare hands when I was in a _good _mood?"

The guard pulled the key back from the cell door, shooting Joker a scathing look as he retreated from his cell door. "Looks like someone needs to teach you how to keep that ugly mouth of yours shut, clown" he growled, slowly making his way back to Jester's cell.

Joker's eyes darkened and he snapped his arm out faster than lightning, grabbing hold of the guard's shirt and violently ripping him backwards, grinning when the man's spine collided harshly with the bars of his cell door. "You touch a fucking hair on my Queen's head, and your newborn grandchild – Donald, right? Yeah, Donald, that's it – will be slaughtered in his crib while your daughter and her pathetic IT nerd of a husband are forced to watch, do you understand me?" Joker was snarling in the man's ear, one pale tattooed arm wrapped tightly around the guard's throat to hold him in place and the other on his key ring. He snatched the key ring from the guard's belt and laughed, quickly releasing the man and unlocking his cell door. As he stepped out into the corridor, ignoring the noise as the other inmates got excited and bloodthirsty, he advanced quickly on the short, stocky guard that was now terrified, scurrying along the floor like the vermin he was.

Joker smiled at him, raising his eyebrows as he leaned down, bringing his face as close as possible to the guard's.

"Now, Officer Graham, you're going to go on your break – an hour, right? Yeah, you're gonna go on your break and you're gonna delete the footage of this little incident and black out the cameras for the remainder of your break. When you're done, you'll come back here and collect your keys from me, and you won't speak a word of this to anyone. From now on, you'll be my personal bitch here – make sure you request the night shift from here on out." A look of defiance and rage flashed over the guard's features and Joker chuckled, gripping the front of his shirt in his fist and clutching it so tight he began to choke the man with the fabric. "Unless you want little Donald to be carved up like a fucking Thanksgiving turkey – and at this point, I won't just force his parents to watch. Oh, no. I'll have his remains stored in your freezer one day while your wife Karen is at work. Every day you'll sit for dinner before your night shift, wondering if the steak on your plate is a piece of little Donald."

"You're _sick_!" Officer Graham shouted, trying in vain to scramble away from the Joker. The Joker refused to release him, wrapping his free hand around the man's throat.

"Welcome to Arkham, Officer Graham," Joker shouted theatrically, a wide grin spreading across his face as the man paled. "Now, off you go. Lots to do!" He slammed Officer Graham against the floor, making sure to bounce his head off it before releasing him. He stood up to his full height and glared down at the guard, flicking his wrist in a dismissive motion. "Run along."

Officer Graham didn't need to be told twice – he clumsily got to his feet, sweating heavily and gasping for air as he ran down the corridor, no doubt off to do the Joker's bidding.

"And that's how it's done," Joker declared, whistling as he let everyone out one by one. Jester threw herself at him as soon as she was free and he laughed, holding her up with one arm under her thighs as she clung to him like a koala with her legs wrapped around his waist. With his free hand, he released Harley, Scarecrow, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy.

Once they were all free and stretching out their sore limbs, Joker abruptly stalked off to his cell with Jester in his arms, slamming her against the wall once they were inside and kissing her harshly. He gripped her thighs roughly, holding her up against the wall as her hands tangled in his shorter hair. She moaned softly into his mouth, nearly splitting his lip in half with her aggressive kisses and nips.

"Fuck, I missed you," he gasped, coming up for air.

"I missed _you!_" she whined, ducking her head under his chin and kissing along his jawline and his throat.

"Gotta make this quick, baby – and _quiet," _He winked at her, licking his lips before pressing them back to hers, carrying her over to his cot and gently laying her down. He broke the kiss for a moment to get up and peek out of his cell at the rest of their group. "Imagine this is a door with a knob on it," he said, motioning to his cell door, "and there's a sock on it. Got it?"

Harley giggled and Scarecrow blushed. Poison Ivy and Catwoman shot Joker knowing grins before turning back to their companions, chatting animatedly and waltzing up and down the corridors, ignoring the other prisoners begging to be let out.

Joker quickly crossed his cell, ridding himself of his Arkham shirt as he moved and grinning at the way Jester licked her lips at the sight of him shirtless. "Like what you see?" he teased, crawling on top of her and wasting no time as he stripped her of her Arkham uniform. He nearly ripped her panties as he yanked them down her legs in his haste, desperate to be inside her again.

She sank her teeth into his chest in response, right over his 'HA HA HA HAHAHAHA' tattoos and he groaned, cupping her breasts in his hands and nudging her head to the side with his jaw. Once her neck was exposed to him, he trailed hot, wet kisses up and down it, careful not to bite her anywhere that personnel would see. If anyone found out they found a way to get to each other, they'd be separated for good for the remainder of their time here. "No marks where they can see, baby," he growled, biting her bottom lip as she rolled her hips desperately against his.

"Shut up," she breathed, tugging his pants and boxers down.

He chuckled, ridding himself of them and slid a finger up her slit. "Already soaking wet for me, baby?" he crooned, grinning down at her.

She whimpered and nodded, digging her nails into his back. "Please, baby, _please_!" she begged, writhing under him.

"Shhhh," he whispered, covering her mouth with one hand and using his free hand to line himself up at her entrance. He kept his hand firmly over her mouth as he impaled her in one thrust, keeping the cot still with his free hand to stop it from creaking as he fucked her fast and hard, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She raked her nails up and down his back, her moans barely suppressed by his hand as he moved. He grinned as he felt her first orgasm rip through her, bringing his mouth up to hers and removing his hand so he could kiss her.

Her moans were still too loud, causing him to put his hand back over her mouth and slow his thrusts. "You've gotta be quiet, princess," he scolded, narrowing his eyes at her. "Lay on your belly for me," he commanded, lifting himself up by his arms. She did as she was told, flipping over onto her belly. His cock twitched at the sight of her naked ass poking slightly up in the air, resisting the urge to slap it as hard as he could and bruise it. He pulled her up a little by her hips, shoving his pillow underneath her to prop her up before reentering her. He pushed her head into the mattress by the nape of her neck, successfully stifling her moans.

"Oh, baby," he moaned softly, leaning down and kissing his way across her shoulders. "Your pussy is like _velvet_." At his words, her body tensed and her legs began quaking. He grinned, leaning down even lower so his lips were right next to her ear. "I love this tight, hot, wet little pussy of yours," he growled, fisting her hair in his hands and slowing his pace as she came again, her walls clenching around him and trying to milk him for his seed. "Not yet, baby," he groaned, fighting down his own release. "I want you to cum one more time for me. Can you be a good girl and shatter for me one more time?"

She pulled her head up from the mattress and looked over her shoulder at him, red-faced, panting and sweating. She had that wild look in her eyes that she always got during sex and he twitched inside her, snarling low in his throat. "Don't stop," she whispered, a pleading look on her face.

"I wasn't planning to," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'm enjoying this far too much."

She shoved her face back into the mattress and gripped the bars of his cot in white-knuckled grips, lifting her ass a little higher and pressing it against him as hard as she could, spreading her thighs just a couple of inches apart so he could bury himself deeper inside her. He almost lost it as she did it, raking a hand through his hair to distract himself for a moment. He looked briefly over his shoulder, making sure nobody was watching them, picking up his pace inside her when he saw no one.

"Cum for me, little J," He cooed, wrapping a hand around her throat. "I want to feel that tight little pussy contracting around my dick."

She moaned loudly and he pushed her head further into the mattress, chuckling a little to himself as she panted and writhed, his words driving her insane. He knew she loved dirty talk and loved it when he said things like that to her while he was fucking her – it undid her every single time. He kept it up, feeling her walls beginning to tighten around him again. "Give me something to think about while we're stuck here – I want to remember the feel of your pussy clenching around my cock as I sit in therapy tomorrow with that bald old fuck."

That was it – that was her undoing. He choked her harshly as they both reached their end together, forcing her scream back down as he cut off her air supply. He loved that she loved the choking, the biting, the bloodletting – they were huge turn-ons for him and she was always so _enthusiastic. _He loved to be rough in the bedroom – very, _very_ rough. He always wondered how much farther she'd be willing to go – how far he could push the envelope, but he avoided the subject altogether since he figured out she had been sexually assaulted. He was perfectly happy with the level they were at now and he could keep it that way – if she wanted more, or wanted it harder, or wanted more violence, she'd have to say so.

He released her, crawling off of her and quickly pulling his boxers and pants back on before helping her back into her uniform. He kept his shirt off, knowing she'd need the skin-to-skin contact with him. She hated when he wore shirts to bed, she always wanted to feel his skin under her fingers and her cheeks. "We've got about 20 minutes left, princess," he whispered, cradling her in his lap as they sat together on his cot. "And then we've gotta pretend sleeping alone on these piece of shit cots is a delightful experience."

She simply nodded, not saying anything, just enjoying the feel of being wrapped up in his arms with her head pressed against his chest once again. She listened to his heartbeat, erratic and pounding as always, and nearly fell asleep as it lulled her into a calm. "I love you," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I won't let anybody hurt you, Jester."

"I know, J," she murmured. "I love you more."

He chuckled, carrying her to her cell and laying her down on her cot. "I'll stay as long as I can, before I have to lock us all back up. Alright?"

She simply nodded, gripping his hand tightly in hers as she quickly succumbed to sleep in her cot, a wide grin plastered on her pale face.

Joker put a finger to his crimson lips as Poison Ivy, Harley, Scarecrow and Catwoman crept into the doorway of Jester's cell, taking in the sight of Joker crouching next to Jester's bed with her hand in his as she slept. "Isn't that the sweetest thing," Poison Ivy gushed quietly, clasping her hands together.

"You guys are killing me," Catwoman agreed, smirking at Joker.

"Is she better now?" Scarecrow asked, tilting his head and watching Jester as she slept soundly, her breaths deep and even.

Joker nodded. "Good as new," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Jester's cheek before making his way through the group and into the corridor. "We've gotta get back in now. Thanks for looking out," he wasn't looking at them as he said it, choosing to scan the corridor instead.

"Nice marks," Harley jested, ribbing him with her elbow before making her way back to her cell. "Thanks for letting us out to play, Mistah J."

He chuckled, locking everyone back in their cells and getting inside his own, pulling the key from the lock just as Officer Graham came marching down the hall.

Officer Graham didn't say a word, sticking his hand out expectantly and glaring at the Joker when he didn't immediately give up the keys.

"Just remember, Gary – me being in here does _not_ stop me from getting to your family on the outside. You call her another name or even _look _at her wrong and I'll go after your entire family. Got it?" Joker grinned at the shorter guard, holding the keys out and swinging them to taunt the man.

"Yeah, yeah. Got it," Officer Graham growled, snatching the keys back from Joker and stalking down the corridor, getting as far away from the lunatics as he possibly could for the remainder of his shift.

Joker spared one more glance at Jester, making sure she was sleeping peacefully before laying down on his own cot, playing Jester's song over and over in his head as he tried to fall asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

_**Author's Note: **As always, thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites! I'm enjoying writing this story very, very much, and hope you all enjoy reading it!_

"Get up, clown!" Jester slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes, scowling at the guard clanging his club against the bars of her cell.

"Fuck _off_," she spat, her voice thick with sleep. She waved a dismissive hand at the guard and reached out to the nightstand, opening the little drawer in it and retrieving her glasses. Once they were on, she slid into her slippers and made her way to her cell door, obediently keeping her arms at her sides as the guard opened it. "Arms out," he commanded. She obeyed, putting her arms out and allowing him to shackle them. "Don't move!" he barked, crouching down to shackle her ankles. She rolled her eyes, huffing a sigh. She looked around, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the lights and yawned, nodding to Harley and Scarecrow as she met their eyes. She felt the hair on the back of her next stand up and knew Joker was staring at her.

She grinned brightly at him, shooting him a wink. "Mornin' baby," she cooed, digging her heels into the ground as the guard tried to move her down the corridor. "See ya soon!" she called, waving at him.

Joker grinned back at her, blowing her a kiss as his ankles were being shackled, watching her walk down the corridor towards the womens' showers. He felt a little refreshed this morning, he had actually managed a few hours worth of sleep last night. He was happy that Jester seemed happy this morning, grinning as he remembered it was mostly due to some great sex in his cell. He spared a glance at his cot, noticing the stains on it and chuckled to himself, nodding at Scarecrow as he was escorted beside him to the mens' showers.

"Who wants to hear a joke?" he crowed, a spring in his step as he was escorted down the corridor.

Scarecrow chuckled, shaking his head. "Someone's in a good mood this morning," he remarked, grinning at Joker.

Joker shot him a wink before craning his head around and taking a good gander at his audience. _Time to rile up the masses! _

"Alright, straw man, are ya ready for this one?" Scarecrow nodded, waiting patiently while Joker prepared to theatrically, grandiosely, and effortlessly upset the guards, orderlies, and other patients, causing a frenzy – because he's the Joker, and that's just what he does.

"This guy goes into the hospital, okay? His wife's just had a baby and he can't wait to see them both. So, he meets the doc and he says 'oh, Doc, I've been so worried. How are they?' and the doc smiles and says _'they're fine. Just fine. Your wife's delivered a healthy baby boy and they're both in tip-top form. You're one lucky guy._'" Joker looked around again, noticing the way everyone's heads were turning towards him and the guards, orderlies, and inmates alike seemed to be hooked on his story. With the burst of energy he had this morning from the sleep he got last night and his sex with Jester, he was more animated and eccentric than usual, adding to the buildup of the punchline.

"So the guy rushes into the maternity ward with his flowers. But it's empty. His wife's bed is empty. 'Doc?' he says, and turns around and the Doc and all the nurses wave their arms and scream in his face, _'April fools! Your wife's dead and the baby's a spastic!'_"

Joker cackled at his own joke, shaking with his mirth as the guard escorting him scowled and grumbled under his breath.

A few of the other inmates laughed, and he could swear he saw an orderly or two chuckle, and Scarecrow on his right was certainly laughing.

"_Get it_? What a _senseless_ waste of human life!" He threw his shackled arms up as high as they could go in his frustration, tamping down his rage at the lack of laughter in the corridor.

"Leave it to the dumbed down trash in here not to appreciate a great joke," he growled, his good mood slowly dissipating.

"You're not going to find the greatest audience here at Arkham," Scarecrow sighed, rounding the corner with Joker into the men's showers. He looked around and found two clean towels, handing one to Joker.

"Thanks," Joker muttered, powering through all the other inmates to an empty stall. It was next to another empty one and Joker pointed it out to Scarecrow. "Take it before one of them do," he growled, shooting murderous looks to every single man around them that looked as though they were going to give poor Jonathan Crane a hard time.

Joker stepped into his own stall and started up the water, missing his luxurious shower at home and Jester's naked little body always under the water with him. He already couldn't wait to see her at breakfast.

"_You're _the Joker's girl?" The high-pitched, nerve-grating voice came from Jester's left as she stood at the mirrors, wrapped in her towel as she fixed her hair and applied her eyeliner and lipstick.

Harley, Catwoman and Poison Ivy were with her, doing the same, all wrapped in just their towels as they dried off.

"Pardon?" Jester drawled, turning to face the broad that asked. She raked her eyes down the woman's form, from her hair to her toes. She was a brunette, about 5'6", with big blue eyes, fair skin, curvy hips and small beasts. She had shorter legs that looked a little stubby, and small feet like Jester's – the girl's toes were painted red. Jester dragged her gaze back up to the girl's face and leaned against the counter, looking bored and annoyed.

"I'm just saying he could've done a lot better than _you." _The girl sneered, coming closer to Jester. Jester shot her a wolfish grin, straightening her spine as she faced off with the girl.

"And _you _think you have so much more to offer him, do you?" Catwoman's voice cut in and she pushed her way between the women. "Small breasts, wide hips, an ass like a mack truck, stubby legs... _Really_?"

"You wouldn't be giving my girl here a problem, would ya?" Harley snapped, leaning over the counter and staring menacingly at the girl. "I can crack your head open right here in the showers and it'd be real easy to say your stupid ass fell down."

Poison Ivy stood behind Jester, fixing the brunette with a nasty look.

"If you think he'd like _you_ better, honey, be my guest. We can all go to breakfast, you can sit next to him, chat him up and see what he does. If he wants you more than me, you can have him. However..." Jester's expression darkened into a murderous look as she eyed the girl, her voice coming out in a low growl much like Joker's when he was angry. "If he wants nothing to do with you, not even God himself will help you."

"I'm sure you're aware of his famous temper," Catwoman supplied, examining her nails.

"She's Mistah J's numbah one fan, dontcha know?" Harley quipped, giggling into the mirror as she applied her makeup and put her hair up in high pigtails. "Alright gals, let's get movin'. We got stale, shitty oatmeal waitin' for us."

"Gotta get dressed first, Harls," Poison Ivy added, winking at Jester.

Jester grinned at the brunette as she dropped her towel, watching the girl's jaw drop as she gawked at her figure. "5'2" with 36C's and a plump, shapely ass. Long legs and a flat tummy, too. But hey, maybe J prefers stubby broads."

Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley also dropped their towels, bumping the girl's shoulder as they passed her and strutted towards the hooks they hung their uniforms on as if this was the catwalk and not the womens' shower block in Arkham Asylum.

"Who's your friend, princess?" Joker asked, a skeptical look on his face as he eyed the too-giddy looking brunette girl tagging along with Jester, Ivy, the cat, and Harley.

"Oh, her?" Jester pointed rudely at the girl. "You know, baby, I didn't care enough to get her name. She uh..." Jester cackled for a moment, unable to help herself. Harley was giggling, unable to keep her composure whatsoever. Catwoman and Poison Ivy were fixing the brunette broad with nasty looks, and Joker knew something was up. "She thinks she's a better match for you, or so she says. I guess I'm not good enough for you, J." There was a harsh bite in Jester's tone, and he noticed the murderous looks Jester and the rest of the girls were fixing the girl with. _If looks could kill..._

Joker grinned, deciding he'd have some fun since this morning hadn't been going very well so far.

"Is that right?" he asked, reaching out a pale, tattooed hand to the brunette. "Come to Daddy," he growled, patting his lap.

She made her way around the table towards him, a sultry sway in her wide hips as she moved. Joker laughed, grabbing her roughly by the hair and yanking her into his lap, giving Jester a warning look so she didn't throw a fit over the action. "I'm Anna," the girl chirped, staring at him with no shame whatsoever. She continued ogling him, and he allowed it, giving her enough time to study all his face tattoos, his pale blue eyes, his white skin, and his green hair. She clearly didn't know him well enough since she didn't realize his darkening eyes and the scowl on his face were sure-fire signs she should get the fuck out of his lap and _run. _She was stupid enough to run her fingers through his hair, bringing her face closer to his, trying to move in for a kiss.

"Tell me, Anna," Joker spoke softly, lulling her into a false sense of security, "Can you read?" He stroked her cheek with his finger, grinning wickedly at her.

A wide grin spread across her face as she wiggled in his lap, biting her lower lip to try and entice him. "I sure can, Mister J," she cooed, tugging a little at his hair before sliding her hands down and lacing them together around the back of his neck. Joker fought back the urge to backhand the girl, glancing quickly at Jester's retreating form – she was making her way around the room, off to get breakfast. He turned his dark, harsh gaze back on the girl in his lap and cocked his head to the side.

"Oh good. That's... _good. _Now, be a good girl and take a look at Daddy's neck," he leaned his head back a little, exposing the jet black tattoos on his pale, white throat. Anna's gaze dropped to his throat and her eyebrows furrowed together, looking first at the raven tattoo on the side of his neck and examining the scar between the bird's wings. "Not _that_ one," Joker growled, using his shackled hands to wrench her head roughly towards his 'Property of Jester' tattoo. "The one in the middle. Read it to me – out loud, of course. I want everyone – and I mean _everyone –_ to hear you."

A small smile spread across his crimson lips as he watched Jester move around the dining room, getting herself some breakfast and keeping an eye on him and Anna, an annoyed look on her face. He loved the way she walked with purpose, commanding respect without having to say a word. She walked with her chin up, her spine straight, her shoulders back and didn't bother paying any attention to anyone around her. She moved around like she owned the place, her footsteps shaking the ground as she walked, causing most people to get out of her way before she even reached them. He heard Anna's voice waiver as she spoke, and he snapped his gaze back to hers. He gripped her by the throat, choking her hard enough to bruise her. "I _said _to read it _out_ _loud_ so everyone can hear. Speak up!" He was snarling at her, and she was terrified. "Quickly, sweetheart. I'm running out of patience."

"I-it says... s-says, uh... 'Prop-property of Jes... J-Jester." Her voice was as loud as it could go, cracked and laced with terror, and Joker laughed loudly and humorlessly, stopping all activity and chatter in the dining room. He released his hold on her throat and roughly dumped her from his lap and onto the floor, slowly rising from his seat and stepping lightly on her neck, ignoring the orderlies that had begun slowly approaching him. His foot was just heavy enough to choke her a little and cause discomfort, but he hadn't put enough weight on her throat to really hurt her... _yet._

"Did everyone hear that?" he shouted, stretching his arms out wide as he swiveled his upper body around. "Any ladies in here need that message repeated? Maybe some of you didn't hear it?" Nobody spoke or even looked at him, silent in their seats or frozen in place as they tried to get breakfast. "No? Everyone heard it, then?" He pointed aggressively towards the center of his throat, his eyes still dark, but not yet black. "It says** 'PROPERTY OF JESTER'. **Let this be a lesson – if any of you broads ever, and I mean _ever _challenge my Queen again, I will _slaughter_ you like cattle."

He yanked Anna up by her hair and literally threw her across the room into another table, laughing as she crashed gracelessly to the floor and wept. The orderlies that had the balls to approach him with needles looked terrified and he grinned at them. "Silly nurses, you know those drugs don't work on me. You want to _avoid_ a riot, don't you? Be good little orderlies – _sit_ _ down _and mind your fucking business. I'd hate to have to kill everyone before I've eaten my breakfast."

He sat back down in his chair, winking at the orderlies who did as he said, and grinned at Jester as she made her way back to the table, handing him his own tray of oatmeal and fruit along with a cup of shitty Arkham coffee. "Thank you, baby. You're so thoughtful." He pulled her into his lap and made a show of kissing her fiercely, wrapping a possessive arm around her waist and a possessive hand around her throat. He moaned loudly into the kiss, driving the point home for their audience, and finally let Jester go to catch his breath. "Always," he whispered to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before helping her back into her own seat so they could eat.

"Did you have to _throw _her like that?" Poison Ivy drawled, taking her seat at the table and eyeing Joker menacingly.

"_Ivy_... Ivy, Ivy, Ivy," Joker purred, smirking at the woman. "I had to make an example – she cornered my Queen in the showers, did she not? When my Queen was vulnerable? I can't have that and you know it. I did what had to be done." Joker winked at Ivy before digging into his oatmeal, grimacing as he choked some down. "She should be thankful I didn't kill her."

Catwoman, Scarecrow and Harley finally made it back to the table, Harley cackling loud as could be, making direct eye contact with that Anna girl. "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes!" Harley heckled, waggling her fingers in a wave at the girl.

Jester chuckled, shaking her head as she poured some Sweet N' Low into her shitty coffee, trying to make it taste less like sewer water and more like... well, coffee.

Scarecrow gave a low whistle, eyeing Anna who was still weeping on the floor, looking as though she was too afraid to get up. "If I felt compassion, and if she hadn't been such a little bitch to my friend Jester here, I might've felt bad for the pathetic girl."

"Wow... I think that's the first truly nasty thing I've ever heard you say," Catwoman remarked, raising her eyebrows at Scarecrow. "I liked it. Be a dick more often!"

They all laughed at that, shoving the nasty oatmeal and awful coffee down their throats to try and get their energy up for the day. After all, playing mind games with doctors could be very draining.

Joker noticed a couple of other patients moving to help Anna up and snapped his head in their direction, his eyes flashing black for a moment. "Do _not_ help her! I will **eviscerate** the next person to try and pick that peasant _trash _upoff the floor." His voice was its usual high-pitched yet threatening one, laced as always with a low, menacing growl. His eyes met Anna's and he waggled a finger at her in warning. "Dogs eat on the _floor_, Anna – not at the table."

Joker grinned wickedly at the cowering girl before turning his attention back to his Queen. "Are you ready for your second session, princess?"

Jester sighed, nodding. "If Mills is still my Doctor," she chuckled at that, a mischievous look on her face, "after I threatened to have his little sister chopped up, I can't imagine he'd stay on my case. I may be sitting across from a different dumbass today."

"You know what you have to do," Joker whispered, slipping his hands under the table and gripping her thigh tightly in both. "Male or female, you just seduce them. Start slow... push the boundaries and destroy them without them realizing it. Flirt, gain their trust, get them to the point where they give the order to remove your shackles. Touch them, get them all fired up and panting like a dog in heat for you, then make them wait while you dangle your sexy little ass right in front of them. You can do it. I won't be mad, just remember what I said – _don't fuck them._" He pressed a kiss to her throat and brought his hands back up to fist in her hair as he turned her towards him. "We need these assholes brainwashed so we can take over, baby, you know that."

Jester gave him a small smile and nodded. "I'm looking forward to having stupid fucks to torment and traumatize. This'll be fun. Same goes for you, though, baby... no more lap sitting and _no_ _fucking_." Her eyes darkened for a moment and he grinned, loving how fiery and possessive she was of him – they were both that way about each other and he adored it. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"Never, baby," he assured her, pressing a quick, teasing kiss to her lips. "Only you. _Always." _He turned the tables and shocked her – he tilted his head back, exposing _his _throat to her. "Go ahead..." he purred, resting like that until he felt her lips on his 'Property of Jester' tattoo. "Good girl." When she pulled her lips away from his throat, he lifted his head back up and cupped her face, gazing into her eyes. "I'm all yours, baby. _Only_ yours. Just like you're mine, and _only_ mine. You'd have to kill me to get away from me, princess."

As sick and fucked up as it was, it made Jester's heart soar and her stomach fill with butterflies. She leaned forward and kissed him fiercely, ignoring the cat calls around them from the other patients/inmates. "I love you," she whispered as they pulled apart, knowing he wouldn't say it back or even mouth it in front of everyone in this room. It didn't hurt her or make her upset – it was another way of protecting her. He gave her that searing, meaningful, serious look of his and she knew deep down it was his way of silently telling her he loved her. She smiled, running a hand through his green hair and admiring him for the few minutes they had left before they'd all be dragged their separate ways to therapy rooms with rookie, asshole doctors.

"You're beautiful, baby," he murmured, scooting forward in his chair so his knees were outside of hers. "Think we can take these shackles home with us for some uh... _kink?"_  
Jester laughed, nodding. "Oh, absolutely, Mister J. I think it's about time we try some new things." She winked at him and a wicked grin spread across his pale face.

"Have I ever told you how _good _you are?" he whispered, his eyes darkening with lust.

Jester bit her bottom lip, nodding. "Yeah, but I never get tired of hearing it, _Mister J."_

"Look at you, stickin' it to me already in the second session. I wasn't expecting to see you again, Brian." Jester taunted Brian as soon as she was escorted into the therapy room, fixing him with a bright grin and a wink.

"I'd really appreciate it if you'd call me 'Doctor Mills'... _Jester_." His voice was clipped but he seemed pleasant enough, and he had called her by the correct name. She decided to let up a bit.

"Alright, Doc. My apologies. I guess I'm just too much of a flirt for my own good, you know?" She bit her lip, lowering her eyelids just a tad. "I can't help it, I see a gorgeous guy and I act a little stupid."

She saw the corner of his mouth twitch and knew he was fighting back a smirk or a smile, and she counted another point for herself. _Jester – 3, Brian – 0. _

"I'd like to talk about the incident at breakfast, Jester," Doctor Mills said, eyeing her from across the table as he set down his pad and picked up his pen, ready to begin writing at any moment. Jester eyed the notepad for a moment before dragging her gaze back up to his.

"What, publishing a book about the Clown Prince of Crime's squeeze? Don't you doctors ever get tired of writing books?" She leaned forward in her seat, dropping her chin into one of her hands, looking as bored as she felt.

"I'm just curious, Jester. Joker seems quite taken with you. He publicly declared his relationship with you and has 'Property of Jester' tattooed on his throat. This is extremely out of character for him, so it makes me wonder... how did you get through to the Joker?" Doctor Mills was leaning forward in his seat, his body language giving off just how eager he was to get answers from her and to learn her 'secrets'. That was his first fatal mistake of the session.

"Must be my pussy," she said seriously, maintaining eye contact and a straight face as she said it. "He _did _say it feels like velvet."

"That's inappropriate, Jester," Doctor Mills chided, leaning back in his seat.

Jester grinned at him, leaning back lazily in her seat and keeping her eyes on him. "You asked," she countered, shrugging.

Doctor Mills ignored her retort and pressed on. "Why did Joker assault Anna at breakfast?"

Jester maintained eye contact, barely even blinking. "Because the ditzy bitch had the nerve to challenge me. You know how this works, don't you?"

"So you're saying it was to defend you?"

"Oh, Doc," Jester leaned forward in her seat, gripping the arms of her chair in her hands. She smirked at him. "It wasn't to _defend_ me. He was simply solidifying my place as his Queen."

"His Queen?" Doctor Mills was writing on his pad, his eyebrows furrowed. He didn't look up at her as he kept writing.

"Precisely," Jester drawled. "_God_, Mills, you're so fucking green that even Joker's _hair_ is jealous."

"Excuse me?" Doctor Mills asked, dropping his pen and meeting her gaze across the table. She knew she offended him – she was glad.

"Let me guess – you're brand new here, not just to Arkham but to Gotham as a whole. You grew up in a nice, safe little suburb – probably somewhere in the Carolinas or Florida. You talk with a slight southern twang that you try to hide and fail miserably at. Your expensive tailored and pressed clothes suggest you make good money or come from it, and hint that you went to an Ivy League college, but I know the truth – you're an overachiever with daddy issues, buried so fucking deep in debt from student loans and credit cards that you'll probably never get out." Jester lifted a finger in warning as Doctor Mills bristled and opened his mouth to interrupt her, shaking her head at him.

"You took this job because Doctor Leland was so god damn desperate to find people to fill the endless empty slots that she offered a much higher pay to ambitious, naive, goody-two-shoe rookies like you that didn't know any better. I wonder – how long _is _your contract here? Doc Leland isn't stupid – she roped you idiots in with promises of high pay and benefits, knowing you'd all want to run for the hills your first day. I'm assuming it's 2 years – _minimum_."

Jester chuckled, noticing the way the Doctor's eyes flashed with his rage as he sat across from her, trying to maintain his composure. She licked her lips and drummed her fingers on the arms of the chair she sat in, cocking her head to the side as she studied him. "Tell me, Doc... do you want to know how long you'll survive here? I'll give you a hint – it sure as shit ain't two years."

"This session is over," Doctor Mills said coolly, slowly pushing his chair back.

"You know," Jester piped up, grinning when he didn't rise from his seat. "You're lucky, Doc."

He took the bait. "Why is that, Jester?" he sighed, exasperated with her.

"Because I want you _alive_. Since I'm the Queen, that means you're safe_ – _for now, at least."

Doctor Mills didn't say anything as he rose from his seat and strode across the room to call the guards in. Jester blew him a kiss before she was removed from the chair and escorted out of the therapy room.

Joker stared at the old, bald, arrogant Doctor that sat across from him. The man had a hard look on his face, studying the Joker closely, trying to maintain his composure and fight back the fear that Joker could see in his eyes. The man was so god damn terrified under that bullshit facade that Joker could practically smell it on him.

Joker laughed, relaxing into his chair once the guards left the room. "What's up Doc?" he chirped, shooting a metal grin at the old Doctor.

"You will refer to me as 'Doctor Cleary,'" the man's voice was stern, chastising – as if he was scolding a defiant child instead of a grown man.

"Oooh, _boundaries!_" Joker heckled, keeping his eyes on the Doctor.

Doctor Cleary didn't take the bait – he ignored the taunt and carried on. "Let's talk about yesterday. You walked in the front doors and turned yourself in. Why?"

Joker leaned forward in his chair, causing Doctor Cleary to lean back a little in his own, trying to put distance between himself and the clown.

"Why don't you tell me why _you_ think I did it?" Joker countered, still staring at the Doctor and enjoying the way the man was shrinking back from him.

"I believe you came back for your girlfriend." Doctor Cleary spoke matter-of-factly, folding his hands together on the table top as he met Joker's gaze, trying to assert himself.

Joker adopted a thoughtful expression, drumming his fingers along the armrests of his chair. "30 years in the field and that's all you've got for me? I gotta say, Doc – I'm disappointed." Joker leaned back in his chair looking bored to death. He entertained himself with memories from the night before of him and Jester going at it in his cell and fought back the wicked grin that threatened to spread across his white face.

"_Doctor_ Cleary," the Doctor reasserted, watching the Joker very carefully from his seat across the table.

Joker didn't bother turning his attention to the Doctor, flicking his wrist in a dismissive motion. He kept the bored expression on his face as he stared at the ceiling, counting down the minutes until he would be sent to the Rec Room so he could see Jester... if he didn't die of boredom first, that is.

"Alright, why don't we discuss what happened at breakfast this morning?" Doctor Cleary picked up his pen and pushed his glasses up his nose, readying himself for note taking.

"Oh, that?" Joker kept his gaze on the ceiling, counting the many cracks in it to pass the time. "That was nothing."

"You stepped on Anne's throat and threw her across the room," Doctor Cleary countered, not looking up from his legal pad as he wrote. "You made quite a spectacle – even publicly declaring that you are..." Doctor Cleary sifted through the Joker's file, pinpointing the report he received from the orderlies at breakfast. "_'Property of Jester.'_"

Joker lolled his head around, cracking his neck before lowering it and looking the Doctor right in the eye. "That's right," he mused.

"Care to explain that? You have never displayed any signs of submission in the past – in fact, your personality and demeanor have been perceived by many doctors as domineering, controlling, narcissistic, and vain."

"Such big words," Joker heckled, grinning at the doctor. "Tell me, _Doctor Cleary, _how do _you _perceive me? After all, you worked with Pogo the clown. You must have some _interesting _insight on me."

"I did work with John Wayne Gacy, yes," Doctor Cleary confirmed, leveling the Joker with a serious look. "I believe the two of you share certain traits."

"Oh, Doc, don't insult me now," Joker warned, his gaze hardening. "You just described me as being narcissistic, and now you're comparing me to the likes of a serial killer that raped and tortured little boys?"

To the untrained eye, Doctor Cleary was unaffected by Joker's subtle threat. However, Joker was not a novice – he noticed the way the Doctor's eyes widened a little, the way his right hand twitched slightly, and the very, very thin sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"True," he validated the Joker just a little, "you have not been diagnosed nor perceived as a pedophile or rapist, but you have murdered thousands of people with no sort of pattern. You have murdered men, women, and children, which is quite peculiar when it comes to serial killers." Doctor Cleary put down his pen and steepled his fingers together on the tabletop, meeting the Joker's gaze. "Serial killers usually have a pattern – they each have a specific type of vitcim. John Wayne Gacy's type was young boys, Ed Gein's type was women that he perceived as 'harlots', Ted Bundy's type was young, attractive co-eds, and David Berkowitz, 'the Son of Sam', primarily murdered couples in their cars."

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," Joker drawled, lolling his head back in his chair. He rolled his eyes, annoyed with the unnecessary lesson on serial killers. "You're boring me, Doc."

"That may be, but I have gotten you to talk more in the past 10 minutes than several other Doctors have in years." Doctor Cleary stupidly allowed a small smile to spread across his lips, obviously impressed with and proud of himself.

"Incorrect!" Joker rebutted, laughing. "I assume you weren't made aware of my... _relationship _with the former Doctor Harleen Quinzel?"

"I am aware of your corruption of Harleen Quinzel," Doctor Cleary countered.

"Corruption?" Joker leaned forward, his grin fading from his face. "Why, Doc, I'm hurt. She was one of my crowning achievements."

"You believe your corruption of the young doctor is an achievement?"

"I believe that Harleen Quinzel is much better off these days. I transformed her. She was weak, naive, lonely, and insecure. She was striving for greatness, convinced that she could use me as a tool to achieve fame and fortune – the kind of attention she had craved all her life yet never received." Joker watched the Doctor carefully, noticing how furiously he was scribbling notes on his legal pad, eating up everything Joker was saying to him. "I helped the good doctor become who she was truly meant to be – an unapologetic, confident, enlightened woman. She no longer craves validation – she no longer needs it."

"You're saying that Harleen Quinzel's current mental distress is actually a gift – from _you?" _

Joker laughed, grinning wickedly at the Doctor. "Absolutely."

"So, in essence, you believe you provided her the validation she had been seeking by destroying her psyche and catapulting her into delirium?"

"I _know_ I did," Joker countered arrogantly, rolling his eyes at Doctor Cleary.

"I see. What about Raven? I researched her case as well. She was the victim of domestic violence when she was last here – she was taken in for murdering her boyfriend in cold blood, but was otherwise quiet and somewhat of a loner when she was here. Did you _transform _her, too?" Doctor Cleary looked up from his notes and met the Joker's gaze once more, still trying his hardest to hide the fear and uneasiness he felt being in the Clown Prince of Crime's presence.

"Her name is _Jester_," Joker growled, his eyes darkening a little at the Doctor's careless use of Jester's old name. "She is _not _a victim, nor is she any of your concern."

"On the contrary," Doctor Cleary argued. "She is the only person that has ever had any kind of effect on you."

"Let's get one thing straight, Doc," Joker's voice was a low growl, his eyes nearly black as he leaned even further over the table, the chains of his shackles snapping taut once he'd gone as far as they'd allow. "You bring her up one more time, and I promise you these shackles will not stop me from painting these walls with your blood."

Doctor Cleary's eyes flashed with fear, widening a little as he slowly retracted from the Joker's reach, leaning back in his seat and leaving his pen and pad on the table.

"I can put you in solitary for that threat," Doctor Cleary threatened, his hands trembling slightly as he folded them neatly in his lap.

"Do what you must," Joker goaded. "In the meantime, I suggest you spend more time researching how many doctors, orderlies, and guards I have murdered here throughout the years and less time researching matters that do not concern you." Joker grinned mockingly at Doctor Cleary, weaving his head slowly side to side like a cobra would before it struck. "I'll even throw you a freebie, Doc – look up Doctor Hammond and Officer Atkins. I think you'll find those articles _interesting._"

"That will be all for today," Doctor Cleary's voice was gruff, trying to hide his underlying panic. He reached under the table for the panic button, pressing it as hard as he could, avoiding the Joker's eyes as the guards came into the room and began to escort him out. The Joker laughed, and Doctor Clearly flinched once the clown was out of sight, collapsing into his chair and finally succumbing to the panic attack he'd been trying to fight off the entire session.

Joker cackled the entire way to the Rec Room, grinning at the guards escorting him and relishing in their trepidation. Once inside and seated, the guards all but scurried outside of the gate, locking it up tight behind them.

"The wicked look on that handsome face tells me you've rattled yet another aspiring Doctor in Arkham Asylum," Jester mused, abandoning her unicorn puzzle to scoot her chair closer to his and give him a kiss.

"I'm disappointed, really. We didn't delve much into his experience with that fat fucking circus clown and he bored me nearly to death." Joker's eyes were lit up with his amusement. He pulled Jester into his lap, careful not to tangle their chains, and ignored the scathing looks from the orderlies who didn't have the nerve to reprimand him for the forbidden display.

"Surprisingly, the Abercrombie model didn't ask for a reassignment. He's got a thicker skin than I thought." Jester wiggled a little in Joker's lap, trying to get more comfortable despite the heavy chains of his shackles that were grating against her spine and tailbone.

"Doctor Leland truly believes she'll make a breakthrough with me, the poor thing," Harley giggled where she sat, running her hand through Scarecrow's brown hair. Scarecrow grinned at her, preening a little at the attention. "She thinks that because of our _'history' _she'll be able to get through to me."

They all laughed at that, comfortably sitting together at a table in the center of the room.

"Doctor Leland is quite ambitious," Scarecrow cut in. "She assigned herself to me as well. I imagine she must be quite frustrated between the two of us – how many doctors _has_ she lost to madness now? I know we aren't the only ones."

"There have been others – not just doctors, either. Some guards, some orderlies," Poison Ivy was threading her fingers through her long, silky red locks, pretending not to notice the way all the men in the room were ogling her.

"They still haven't assigned me to a doctor," Catwoman supplied, looking a little cross. "It's as if they don't know what to do with me – I'm not insane, yet I'm classified as a Rogue and I'm here. It's better than Blackgate, though, so I don't mind."

"What do you do while we're all in therapy?" Jester asked her, looking a little sad for her friend. "You must be so bored!"

"I sit here, ignoring Two-Face and Riddler, and busy myself with those dreadfully dull and, if I do say so myself, outdated and inaccurate books on Psychology."

"Ah," Joker laughed, resting his hands on Jester's thighs since his shackles wouldn't give him enough reach to wrap his arms around her. "The same books these quacks study and throw at us in each session, wondering why they don't get anywhere and why we all seem _'beyond help_.'"

They all chuckled at that.

"They wonder why I experimented on my patients – what better way to get to know your patient and delve into their minds than forcing them to face their fears?" Scarecrow smiled, moving his black checker across the board and beating Harley at their game. "I always got the most raw, uninhibited, _real _reactions from my patients. Their screams of terror and tears told me more in 5 minutes than an hour long session in a therapy room ever could."

"Preach," Jester crowed, theatrically raising her hands in praise. "They should just reinstate you. You'd make far more progress than any of these jagoffs."

"_Doctor_ _Cleary_," Joker mockingly drawled the name, rolling his eyes, "brought up the two of you." He pointed at Harley and at Jester with a long, pale finger. "He seems _quite _interested in your transformations. Of course I took full credit for yours, Harley."

Harley giggled, winking at him. "I wouldn't call it a transformation, Mistah J – you _freed _me."

"Tell that to Doctor Cleary," Joker countered. "He even used the words _'mental distress.'_"

"Only thing I'm distressed about is not seein' my Puddin' in this god damn hole," Harley grumbled, busying herself with setting up a new game of checkers.

"He misses you too, kid," Joker's voice was a little more serious as he eyed the blonde, understanding her pain. "You'll see him soon."

"How's Tommy?" Catwoman asked, shifting her gaze to Joker. "Is he keeping up with the training I had been doing with him?

Joker nodded, looking thoughtful. "He's still exceeding expectations. Turns out he's more useful than we all gave him credit for. He's smart, quick, and strong. Johnny's impressed with him."

"It's not weird for you, is it?" Catwoman looked at Jester, trying to toggle the woman's reaction. "I mean, for me to talk about Tommy?"

Jester laughed, reaching over the table and patting Catwoman's hand. "Not at all. I'm a big fan of you two," she assured her, shooting her a wink. "You guys make a good looking couple, and my cousin needed a strong, no-bullshit type of woman to set him straight. I've noticed how he has thrived since you two started up your little thing. I like it."

"Now we gotta find somebodies for you two," Harley chirped, winking at Scarecrow and Poison Ivy.

"My experiments take up far too much of my time," Scarecrow rebutted, not looking up from the checkerboard.

"My plants mean much more to me than any man could – besides, I haven't yet met a man that is immune to my poison."

Joker coughed dramatically, glaring at Poison Ivy. "Uh, _hello," _he growled, raising his eyebrows.

"Other than you, of course," Poison Ivy rolled her eyes, flipping her red hair over her shoulder.

Jester laughed. "Go figure – you meet a man who's immune and the two of you hate each other for what, years? Decades?"

"How long _has _it been?" Poison Ivy wondered, looking thoughtfully at Joker. "Quite awhile, right?"

"I lost track," Joker jested, grinning at her. "But look at us now! Getting along, playing nice in the sandbox together, making new pals!"

"All thanks to yours truly," Jester sing-songed, wiggling in Joker's lap. "Not that I'm bragging or anything."

Scarecrow smiled at her. "Well, it's true. If that meeting hadn't ever taken place, we wouldn't be here right now – well, not as friends, at least." He chuckled, looking around the Rec Room at all the other patients.

"That's true," Catwoman agreed. "Ivy and I always got along, but never really worked together. This never would've happened without you, Jester."

Jester grinned at her friends before leaning forward enough to reach the puzzle and all the puzzle pieces on the table, giggling when Joker scooted them closer and began to help her.

"Imagine that – I take out the trash in Gotham and forge friendships between four Rogues."

"Ya know," Harley slowly looked up from the checkerboard, a wide grin spreading across her white face, "we should make those friendship bracelets Riddler mentioned yesterday."

Catwoman and Scarecrow groaned, clearly not fans of the idea.

"You know, Harls," Joker smiled at her, "I think that's a terrific idea."

Harley sprung out of her seat and darted past several bewildered orderlies, making her way to the craft supplies at the other end of the room, digging out brightly colored string and beads. She brought them all back to the table, and to everyone's shock – the entire group began making each other friendship bracelets.

Riddler watched from his table in the corner with a scowl on his face. "That was _my _idea," he muttered, shoving away the checkerboard he was currently using with Two-Face.

Two-Face laughed. "And they say we don't have any good ideas."

"Am I in the fucking Twilight Zone?" Jester's head swiveled as she scanned the room, absolutely bewildered as she was yanked into a big, new looking therapy room.

"Ease up on that yanking before I yank your fucking neck around," Joker's snarl came from behind her and she grinned, looking to her right just as Joker came up next to her. "Hi, princess," he purred, quickly pressing a kiss to her cheek before he was shoved forward to a chair much like the ones in their individual therapy rooms.

The guards escorting Jester eased up on their rough treatment, afraid to draw the Joker's ire, as they seated her next to him, attaching her shackles to the chair.

"Actually, I'd like them separated," came a voice from the doorway. Joker snarled as he watched Doctor Cleary enter the room, accompanied by Doctor Leland.

"I agree," Doctor Leland pat Doctor Cleary on the shoulder as they made their way to the center of the 'circle' that had been set up, taking their seats.

"Have you forgotten what we discussed earlier?" Joker threatened, glaring right at Doctor Cleary who blanched a little. "Don't piss me off," he warned, shifting his glare to Doctor Leland.

Doctor Leland sighed in defeat, nodding. "Fine, Joker. You can sit with Raven this time."

"Who?" Joker blinked at both Doctors, adopting a confused expression. "I don't know a Raven."

Doctor Mills entered the room at that moment, giving Jester a small smile before taking a seat on the other side of Doctor Leland.

"Good evening, Jester," his voice was polite and Jester shot him a wink. 

"Good boy," Jester cooed, grinning wickedly at him.

"_That's_ the Abercrombie model?" Scarecrow's voice cut in over the chatter in the room and Jester grinned, nodding at him.

"He's cute," Catwoman remarked, settling into the seat to Jester's right.

"I'd give him a kiss," Poison Ivy crooned as she was seated next to Catwoman.

"Hunka, hunka! Hot damn!" Harley chirped, winking at the now very uncomfortable Doctor Mills as she was seated next to Scarecrow who was on Joker's left.

"That's enough," Doctor Leland's voice cut through their chatter and Jester rolled her eyes.

"You guys are no fun," she pouted.

"Good thing this room isn't VIP," Riddler was being escorted into the room along with Two-Face, Mad Hatter, and Ventriloquist.

"Yeah, we're not invited to the VIP," Two-Face mocked, glaring at Catwoman.

"Fuck off, Harvey," Catwoman drawled, rolling her eyes dramatically in her seat.

"Well, then," Doctor Leland cleared her throat, getting everyone's attention once everyone was seated and properly secured. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"What the fuck is this?" Jester snapped, glaring at Doctor Leland. "Let me guess, you'd like us all to share our feelings and experiences and sing Kumbaya in a fucking circle?"

"We're trying something new," Doctor Leland calmly explained, meeting Jester's gaze. "Actually, it was Doctor Mills' idea."

"Doc, you gotta be fucking kidding me," Jester turned her glare onto Doctor Mills. "I thought we had something special."

Joker laughed, winking at Doctor Mills. "Look at her, Doc," he said, motioning with his hand to Jester. "You've hurt her feelings!"

Jester mock-pouted, dramatically sniffling. "I can't even trust my own sweet, handsome, rookie doctor," she sighed. "How will I ever open up to you and divulge all my deep, dark, dirty secrets now?"

"Enough!" Doctor Cleary shouted, bringing everyone's attention to him. "This isn't playtime."

"Well, this sure ain't what I signed up for!" Harley cackled in her seat, licking her cherry red lips as Doctor Cleary glared at her.

"We are going to have these group therapy sessions twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday," Doctor Leland supplied, eyeing everyone in the room. "I believe it's a good idea and a good way for us all to get to know each other."

The Rogues all burst out laughing at that, Joker's laugh drowning out all the others and sending chills down Doctor Cleary and Doctor Mills' spines.

"Joker and I know each other _very _well," Jester blew a kiss at Joker and shot him a wink when he grinned at her, their eyes dancing with mischief and evil.

"I can attest to that," Harley quipped, laughing in her seat. "I've heard 'em on occasion – they get along _really _well!"

Laughter broke out again among the rogues and Jester caught the hint of a blush that crept into Doctor Mills' face. 

"Aw, Doc," she cooed, leaning forward in her seat and grilling him. "Don't be jealous – J and I have a very _open _relationship."

"One more outburst like that and you're going to Solitary," Doctor Leland threatened, fed up with the clowns and their antics.

"Are you gonna spank me, Doc?" Jester retorted, cackling. 

Joker grinned in his seat, loving the way his Queen was taunting and unsettling the Doctors in the room. "So naughty," he growled, licking his lips at her.

"Since you seem to be the most vocal one in the group, Raven, why don't we start with you?" Doctor Leland was determined to ignore the quips and insults and to get on with the session.

"Raven? Who's that?" Jester feigned confusion, blinking at Doctor Leland, perfectly mimicking Joker's earlier display. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"Fine, _Jester. _We'll start with you. Why don't you tell us how your appearance changed?" Doctor Leland and Doctor Cleary had their pens and legal pads out, ready to take notes. Doctor Mills had clearly learned his lesson – he didn't have either with him, choosing to stay quiet and watch instead. 

"Oh, this?" Jester grinned, tossing her head to the side to get her purple hair out of her face. "I was cleaning the house one day, you know? I'm a germaphobe, so I always sanitize the house at least once a week." She grinned at the barely stifled laughter coming from Harley. "Silly me, I went a little overboard with the bleach. Forgot to dilute it with water and whoops!" She waved her hands as much as she could, chuckling. "Ended up splashing it all over myself. It was quite a mess – you should've been there, Doc."

Doctor Leland sighed, ignoring the laughter coming from the Rogues yet again. Doctor Mills cleared his throat, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth, and eyed Jester.

"So the bleach turned your hair purple, turned your eyes aqua green, and made your skin as white as paper?" He was indulging her and her humor, hoping to maybe gain some of her trust while she was still in a seemingly good mood.

"Oh yeah, Doc, I'm really clumsy," she replied, winking at him again.

"Harleen, would you like to tell us how _your_ appearance changed?" Doctor Leland fixed her eyes on Harley, and Joker laughed at the hopeful look on her face. 

"Me? Oh, I was helping Jestah clean." Harley batted her lashes at Doctor Leland, a winning smile stretching across her face.

"Alright, then," Doctor Leland sighed, resisting the urge to rub her temples and ward off her oncoming migraine. "Selina – why do you think the Batman sent you here?" 

Catwoman grinned at Doctor Leland, leaning back as comfortably as she could in her seat. "Well, Doctor Leland, I suppose he wanted more freedom to fuck Talia Al Ghul."

Laughter erupted again in the room and Joker's eyes danced with amusement as he stared at Doctor Cleary, watching the man try to stifle his rising temper. He could see it in his face and in his body language. The Doctor looked miffed – he was drumming his fingers along his legal pad, his brow creasing and his mouth in a tight line. He had his legs crossed, the foot he had on the floor tapping agitatedly and the other shaking a little. His eyes had hardened and he looked like he was fighting back the urge to speak.

"I think Doctor Cleary has something to say," Joker mused, not taking his eyes off the Doctor for a second.

"I was just thinking that it is a shame we only have one solitary confinement room on the premises," Doctor Cleary's tone was curt and clipped. Joker laughed, still staring at the Doctor.

"Temper, temper," he taunted, wagging a finger at the man. "If you aren't careful, you'll end up in a cell of your own, Doc." 

"_Doctor_ _Cleary_," the man snapped, folding his hands over the legal pad in his lap.

"We're not going to get anywhere with them," Doctor Leland muttered, giving the other two Doctors an exasperated look.

"We're going about it the wrong way," Doctor Mills cut in, watching Jester carefully. "Jester, would you like to play a game?"

Jester quirked an eyebrow at the young doctor, a smirk curving up her lips. "What do you have in mind, Doc?" She asked.

"Word association," Doctor Mills answered, watching her to see her reaction.

Jester grinned. "Sounds fun," she mused, shifting in her seat to get comfortable.

"We'll go around in a circle," Doctor Mills started, ignoring the scathing look Doctor Cleary was currently fixing him with. He looked to his right, meeting Harley's gaze. "Alright Harley, you're first. I'm sure you know how this works."

Harley giggled, batting her eyelashes at him. "Sure do, Doctor Goodlookin', hit me!"

Doctor Mills gave her an earnest, honest smile. "Let's start with 'sick'. Remember, guys, answer with the first thing that comes to mind," he looked around the room before shifting his gaze back to Harley.

"Cold," Harley supplied.

Scarecrow was next. "Fear."

"Mind," Joker cackled.

"Mind," Jester echoed, waggling her eyebrows at Joker.

"Love." Catwoman's expression hardened with her answer.

"Green," Poison Ivy hummed her answer, seeming disinterested.

"Disgusting," Two-Face's voice was a growl.

"Illness," Riddler supplied.

"Hatter," Mad Hatter's answer was seemingly typical.

Ventriloquist said nothing, looking catatonic where he sat.

"Alright," Doctor Mills seemed pleased enough. "Let's try another one. 'Ink.'"

Harley was first again, followed by Scarecrow, Joker, Jester, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Riddler, Mad Hatter, and finally Ventriloquist.

"Pen."

"Quill."

"Tattoos."

"Skin."

"Black."

"Poison."

"Contract."

"Fluid."

"Measurements."

Ventriloquist still refused to engage, which didn't surprise anyone. The man was batshit crazy, and without his puppet or even just a sock on his arm, he wasn't much for conversation.

"Very good... Let's go with 'green' for the next one." Doctor Mills ignored the scathing look Doctor Cleary was shooting him. He preened a little at the small smile Doctor Leland fixed him with between notes, feeling quite accomplished.

"Color!"

"Sick."

"Money." Joker grinned.

"Hair," Jester looked adoringly at Joker and he purred at her in response, licking his lips.

"Eyes."

"Plants."

"Cold, hard cash!" Two-Face got a little too excited at that, snapping his shackles taut when he jerked in his seat.

"Favorite," Riddler sighed, a faraway look on his face as he recalled his usual costume.

"Tea," Mad Hatter giggled.

Again, Ventriloquist was silent.

"One more, and then the session is over," Doctor Mills eyed the clock, realizing their hour was almost up and the patients would be escorted to dinner soon. "Dead."

"Doctah Quinzel!"

"Silent."

"Batsy," Joker growled, looking feral for a moment as he recalled his nemesis.

"Raven," Jester supplied, shooting Doctor Leland and Doctor Cleary nasty, warning glares.

"Talia," Catwoman hissed, bristling in her seat.

"Men." Poison Ivy glared at Two-Face, scowling. He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes, turning her head away from him.

"Batman," Two-Face echoed Joker's answer, causing giggles to break out among the Rogues.

"Expired."

"Alice," Mad Hatter sighed dramatically, slouching in his seat.

No response from Ventriloquist as he sat stoically in his seat, puppet-less and defeated.

"I appreciate your cooperation," Doctor Mills addressed the Rogues politely. "See you all on Thursday."

The guards came into the room as if on cue, moving to detach and escort their assigned patients, slowly escorting them out of the larger therapy room one by room to the dining hall.

Doctor Mills put up a hand as Jester's guards began escorting her, stopping them in their tracks. "A moment, Jester?" He was still being very polite. Jester blew a kiss to Joker as he was escorted from the room, a wide, evil grin spread across his pale face. "In private," Doctor Mills added, looking to Doctor Leland and Doctor Cleary.

"Of course," Doctor Leland conceded, giving Doctor Cleary a stern look. Doctor Cleary had been staring at Jester, not even bothering to try and hide it, and Doctor Leland knew he was trying to analyze the female clown and was hoping for a chance to probe into her mind. "Confidentiality," Doctor Leland murmured, pulling him lightly by the arm towards the door. Once they had made their way out into the hall and only Doctor Mills, Jester, and her two guards remained, Doctor Mills signaled for the guards to leave the room. They did, moving to the hallway and shutting the door behind them, posting themselves just outside it as they waited.

"Can we start our third session with a clean slate tomorrow?" Doctor Mills asked Jester, standing dangerously close to her, a little too relaxed and comfortable in her presence.

Jester chuckled, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him. "Feeling quite confident after proving your worth tonight, huh?"

"Sure," he agreed, nodding. "I'd like to think I gained enough of your trust and confidence for you to be a little nicer to me during our sessions. I was offered a reassignment and declined."

"Is that so?" Jester indulged him, folding her hands neatly in front of her, not once taking her eyes off of his. "Tell me, Doc, what's your angle?"

"There's no angle. I find your case interesting – you're extremely intelligent, you're coherent and cognitive, you're pretty experienced and knowledgeable with psychology and I believe you and I could make great progress if you'd only give me a chance." Doctor Mills tilted his head slightly as he regarded her, curious to see if his compliments and praise would soften her, if only just a little bit.

"Aw Doc, buttering me up ain't gonna help you." Jester clicked her tongue at him, shaking her head. "Flattery and compliments will get you nowhere with me. If you are as interested in my case as you say, you will find a better way to gain my... _favor."_

"Fair enough," Doctor Mills smiled at her. "I will see you tomorrow morning, Jester."

He made to leave the room and Jester's hand snapped out, grabbing him by the wrist. Doctor Mills paled slightly, slowly turning to face her, fear flashing in his eyes as he felt bruises beginning to blossom on his skin where she gripped him.

"Easy, Doc," Jester chuckled, her eyes dancing with mischief. "I ain't gonna hurt ya. I was hoping that maybe you could bring me something tomorrow."

Doctor Mills turned completely to face her, relaxing in her grip despite his trepidation. "You know that's not how this works," he reminded her gently, very aware that he had no panic button within reach, the guards were outside, and those shackles would not stop her from killing him where he stood.

"It's a small favor, really," Jester cooed, grinning at him. "I was hoping maybe you could bring me a banana nut muffin. They're my favorite, you see, and I'm quite certain the food they serve us is probably a Health Inspector's worst god damn nightmare. The coffee sucks, too."

Doctor Mills chuckled, indulging her once more. "I'll make you a deal, Jester," he lowered his voice, glancing at the guards outside the door to make sure they couldn't hear. "I'll bring you coffee and a banana nut muffin if you agree to answer at least 3 questions honestly – _without _threatening me."

Jester mulled it over, rolling her head around slightly as she did. "Alright," she finally agreed. "You got yourself a deal. 3 honest answers to 3 questions without any threats for each session that you provide me with a banana nut muffin and a _good_, bold, light and sweet coffee." Her expression hardened and her grip on his wrist tightened. "Give me any kind of peppermint mocha, salted caramel, or mint bullshit of any kind and the deal's off. That shit is disgusting."

Doctor Mills laughed, carefully removing his wrist from her grip and stuck out his other hand. "You've got yourself a deal, Miss Jester," he grinned at her, feeling more accomplished than ever before and believing he'd gained her trust. 

Jester gripped his hand tightly and gave it a firm shake. "Hold the rat poison, alright Doc?" She grinned at him, amused at how easily she had manipulated him. Mangling his mind and wrapping him around her finger would be child's play – the poor bastard really didn't stand a chance.

"Deal," Doctor Mills agreed, gently escorting her to the door by her elbow, careful not to push her or rush her in any way – he knew the Joker would have his head on a pike if the 'Queen' was harmed in any way in his presence. He opened the door and motioned for the guards to escort her, giving them a warning look before they began their walk. "I'd appreciate it if you'd handle my patient with a little more _care. _She _is_ a lady, after all."

"Aw, Doc," Jester raised a hand to her heart in a dramatic swoon. "A man after my own heart!"

Doctor Mills made his way around her and her guards, giving her one last smile as he made his way down the hall.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: I don't own or take credit for anything other than my own OC's.

**Author's Note: **Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for all the follows & favorites! Xo

****Important Info** **

Updates will be a little slower and less frequent now. I finally found a job – an outside sales one, which I'm not doing well at whatsoever, but it beats being homeless come September 1st. So, with that said, this job is taking up a lot of my time and it's pretty fucking taxing, both mentally and physically, but I will be updating as much as I can!

* * *

Jester was draped lazily over her cot, one leg and one arm hanging off of the edge and a lit cigarette in her mouth. She could feel the Joker's eyes on her as she sang, causing a small smile to pull up the corners of her mouth. She loved the way his gaze always made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and sent chills down her spine. She stared up at the ceiling, getting lost in the song she was singing.

"_I would die for you,_

_I would die for you,_

_I've been dying just to feel you by my side,  
_

_To know that you're mine,_

_I will cry for you,_

_I will cry for you,_

_I will wash away your pain with all my tears_

_And drown your fear,_

_I will pray for you,_

_I will pray for you,_

_I will sell my soul for something pure and true,_

_Someone like you,_

_See your face every place that I walk in,_

_Hear your voice every time that I'm talking,_

_You will believe in me_

_And I will never be ignored,_

_I will burn for you,_

_Feel pain for you,_

_I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart_

_And tear it apart,_

_I will lie for you,_

_Beg and steal for you,_

_I will crawl on hands and knees until you see_

_You're just like me,_

_Violate all the love that I'm missing,_

_Throw away all the pain that I'm living,_

_You will believe in me_

_And I could never be ignored,_

_I would die for you,_

_I would kill for you,_

_I would steal for you,_

_I'd do time for you,_

_I would wait for you,_

_I'd make room for you,_

_I'd sail ships for you_

_To be close to you_

_'Cause I believe in you,_

_I believe in you,_

_I would die for you." _

Scarecrow, Harley, Catwoman and Poison Ivy politely clapped as she finished her song and she grinned, taking a deep drag of her cigarette and exhaling the smoke through her nose. She stood up, slowly making her way to her cell door and meeting Joker's burning gaze. "I like that one," he purred, winking at her. "That's an older one, isn't it?"

Jester nodded, smiling at him. She gripped the bars of her cell tight in her hands, wanting so badly to be closer to him, to be able to touch him. His expression softened and he peeked down the corridor, looking for Officer Graham. There was no sign of him yet, and both clowns were getting pretty antsy. To take her mind off of her anxiety and frustration, Joker distracted Jester with small talk.

"Remember how you told me you love roller coasters, baby?"

Jester nodded, perking up a little at the topic of conversation. The topic piqued the others' interests as well, all of them listening intently as Joker spoke quietly.

"What if I told you that you'll have some roller coasters of your own once we're out of here?" Joker grinned at Jester, chuckling at her expression. She looked extremely excited, grinning from ear to ear and her eyes lit up with her happiness.

"Really?" She struggled to keep herself from shouting in her excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet and clutching the bars of her cell tighter in her hands.

Joker nodded. "Tilt-a-whirl, the tea cup ride you liked as a kid, a fun house... an entire amusement park – just for you. What do you think?"

"You're fucking kidding," Jester breathed, hanging on to his every word.

"Are you serious, Mistah J?" Harley's excitement mirrored Jester's at the idea of an entire amusement park to themselves.

Joker laughed, the sound echoing down the corridor. "Oh yeah, princess. Got engineers and mechanics fixing it all up for ya while we're here so it'll be ready when we're out."

Scarecrow was grinning, leaning against the bars of his cell and looking at Joker. "Your old hideout," he said quietly, making sure none of the other inmates would hear.

Joker grinned. "That's right. Took a peek the night Batsy and the boy wonder rounded you guys up, it's still in pretty good shape. It's exactly the same as I left it."

"So _that's _your big surprise?" Catwoman had a wicked smirk on her face and Joker smirked back at her, folding his arms in front of him. "

"That's part of it," he teased, winking at her. "Things are going to be very, very different once we're out of here."

"What else are you having them do?" Jester whispered, raising an eyebrow at him.

"That's all you get for now. You'll all have to see the rest for yourselves." Joker's expression lit up as he heard Officer Graham's familiar footsteps echoing down the corridor. "Right on time, Gary," he sing-songed, snatching the man's keys from his outstretched hand as soon as he was close enough. Officer Graham said nothing, simply glaring at the Joker before walking back down the corridor to take his hour break and shut down the cameras.

Joker looked towards the wall at the end of the corridor, waiting for the red light on the camera to turn off before letting himself out of his cell and letting the rest of the group out.

"What do you say, baby? You wanna talk to Tommy?" He wrapped an arm around Jester's waist and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

Jester nodded, practically sprinting down the corridor towards the phone. Joker laughed as he followed her, noticing Catwoman and Harley were hot on his heels. "I'm sure you two will have time to talk to your lover boys," he winked at both women as he reached the phone, leaning casually against the wall beside Jester. She had already dialed Tommy's number and was clutching the phone tightly in her hand, waiting impatiently for him to answer.

"_Hello?" _Tommy's voice on the other line sounded gruff and hostile, and Jester remembered he wouldn't recognize the number she was calling from.

"It's me," Jester was grinning so wide it hurt her cheeks, thrilled to hear her cousin's voice and knowing he was safe and sound.

"_Jester! You okay in there? How's it goin'? You doin' alright? You're alright, right? What's goin' on?" _Tommy sounded so worried, nearly panicking on the other end, and Jester chuckled.

"I'm fine, dude. I promise. We're all having a blast in here, really. We even made friendship bracelets. Sorry – you, D.S., and Johnny don't get any." Tommy's laugh on the other line caused Jester to cackle wickedly. Joker was grinning at her, motioning for her to hand the phone over. "Tommy, J's got somethin' to tell ya. Then Selina wants to talk to ya – are you close to D.S.? Harley's here too, she misses him."

"_Yeah, Floyd's here." _Tommy took a deep breath, his voice softening as he continued._ "It's good to hear from you, cuz – I miss you. Be safe in there, alright? I'll see you soon." _

"Love you," Jester muttered quietly, smiling as she handed the phone to Joker. "All yours," she chirped, pecking him on the cheek. "He sounds good," she said to Catwoman, noticing the woman's eager look. "Real good. He's with D.S., he'll hand the phone over once he's done with J and our pussycat, alright?" Jester giggled at Harley who was excitedly bouncing up and down, licking her lips in anticipation.

"That's right. Location B and Location F. Make sure Johnny goes with you, kid." Joker looked pleased, a wicked look on his face as he quietly spoke to Tommy, keeping his back to everyone so no one could read his lips. "Good, good... that's what I like to hear. Keep up the good work. Here's your kitty cat."

Joker handed the phone to Catwoman who snatched it out of his hand without a second's hesitation. "Hey, handsome," she purred. "Miss me yet?"

To give the girls privacy, Jester and Joker made their way back to the corridor, Joker's arm secured tightly around Jester's shoulders as they walked. She noticed the murderous look on his face as he stared at each prisoner they passed – a silent warning to stay the hell away from Jester if they wanted to keep their heads. She giggled, pressing a smacking kiss to his cheek and playfully licking the spot after. Joker growled low in his throat in response, tugging her into her cell and tossing her down onto her cot.

"Feelin' frisky, are ya?" he teased, pulling off his Arkham shirt. He stood at the end of her cot, looking down at her hungrily, his eyes darkening.

Jester didn't say anything, looking up at him with a thoughtful expression on her face. She settled more comfortably in her cot, folding her arms over her tummy.

"Spit it out," Joker urged her.

"They're not giving us any meds," Jester said out loud, eyeing Scarecrow who was leaning against his cell, staring up at the ceiling.

"No, they're not," Joker agreed, raising an eyebrow at her. "Are you concerned about it?"

"I'm concerned that I'm not on my birth control," Jester muttered, avoiding his eyes.

"What?" he whispered, tilting his head to the side. It didn't show on his face, but he was slightly worried. He thought back to the previous night, how he emptied himself inside her – neither of them realizing she wasn't on her birth control any longer.

"They're not giving me my birth control," Jester whispered, biting her lower lip and chewing on it. She still wouldn't meet Joker's eyes, too nervous about his reaction. She felt her cot shift as he sat himself down on it, resting one of his pale hands on top of hers. She looked down at their hands folded over her tummy and quickly pulled hers away, laying them flat at her sides. Joker noticed how uncomfortable she seemed with the gesture, realizing what he'd done.

"You don't want children," it was a statement, not a question.

Jester shook her head. "Absolutely not, J. Never."

"That's fine, princess," he peered down at her face, gently taking her chin in his hand and turning her head to look at him. "Don't hide from me, Jester."

"What if last night..." she sighed, rubbing a hand down her face, her anxiety radiating off of her in waves. "What if... well, no, I'd just get rid of it. Never mind. I'm just being stupid."

Joker raised an eyebrow at her. "You'd do that?" he asked, his tone absolutely neutral.

She finally met his eyes, a sad look on her face. "I have twice before. I was 17 the first time, and I was 23 the second time."

"You don't have to talk about it." Of course Joker wanted to know, but he wouldn't push it. She told him nearly everything about herself – including a lot of her deep, dark, dirty little secrets and she rarely hid anything from him. He would let her keep this secret – it wasn't his business, anyway. It was in the past, before she met him and before he fell in love with her.

"No, it's okay. I'm not upset about it – either one, I mean. I have no regrets. Maybe that makes me a monster, maybe it makes me a bad person, but I was not fit to be a mother either of those times, I had used protection both times and still wound up pregnant, and the fathers were fucking walking garbage." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It just wasn't right to bring those children into the world – even if I did, and put them up for adoption like I was – they'd be cycled through the foster system, and those kids are sexually and physically abused. It would be a cruel existence. I got lucky – I was a privatized adoption. It doesn't really work like that these days."

"You used protection _both_ times...?" Joker was prodding her, his own anxiety about her not being on her birth control and their sex last night skyrocketing. He had to get more information on that aspect, at least. After all, if she was that fertile, it was possible she could already be carrying his child.

"Birth control _and _condoms both times. I'm Murphy's Law on legs, you know that. Anything that can happen, WILL happen." She shrugged a little, not realizing the weight of what she just said.

Joker went rigid, removing his hand from her tummy and folding both his hands in his lap. He stared straight ahead, mulling all of this over in his mind and trying to rationalize. There was just no way he could or would ever be a father. He was a dangerous psychopath with a permanent bullseye on his back. He harbored a darkness inside him that made him abusive when it took over, and he knew if it ever did, he risked killing Jester without even realizing it. He couldn't bring kids into the picture. He didn't remember anything about his past – not his childhood, not his parents, not any friends or school or anything. He didn't even know if he had a good father or not, or if the man was ever in the picture. But on the other hand... how could he throw away something he and Jester created together? A living, breathing piece of them both. Sure, he had killed many, many children and never even so much as blinked about it, but he wasn't sure he had it in him to destroy his own flesh and blood.

"I know," she whispered, reaching out and gripping his forearm tightly. "I know. We aren't fit to be parents. Half my mental illnesses are from my own biological mother – my chronic depression, my anxiety disorder, my ADHD, and the OCD – it's all hereditary. I was born with those, there's nothing I can do. Throw in my PTSD, my seasonal depressive disorder, my memory loss – both short and long term, my paranoia -"

"My psychopathy..." Joker ran his hands down his face, finally turning to look back at her. "You're right. The kid would end up right here, probably in a cell next to us. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be fair."

"Thank you," she whispered. "We never talked about this – I never knew where you stood with any of it."

"Why did you look sad when you talked about the abortions? You said you didn't regret them." He slid his hand from her tummy up to her cheek, caressing her skin with his thumb.

"Because I think – I mean, if it was _ours –_ never mind," she rolled over on her side, curling up into the fetal position. She was feeling vulnerable, and it tugged at Joker's heart strings.

He settled himself down behind her, pulling her into his arms. He gently pulled her hair back from her face and her neck, placing his crimson painted lips to her ear. "It would hurt me too, songbird," he whispered.

Jester didn't say anything. She pulled his arms tighter around her and held on tight to him, afraid that this bit of information might scare him off. She was also scared to death of the possibility that she may be pregnant, even from all their romps while she was on her birth control. It was true that she was insanely fertile – an irony that plagued her all her adult life. Of course _she_ would be extremely fertile – the walking train wreck with a myriad of mental illnesses who never wanted to be a mother and sure as hell wasn't fit to be one. She always wished she could somehow just donate her fertility to the women that were sterile and unable to have children of their own. She had always felt guilty about that – she'd hear women talk about their miscarriages, or how badly they wanted a child and how hard they tried just to find out they couldn't conceive and it killed her. She wished she could trade places with them – it wasn't fair to those women.

"I love you," Joker whispered, tangling their legs together. "I'm not going anywhere. I promised you. No matter what happens, I'll always be with you."

Joker sighed when he heard her sniffle, knowing she was crying. He wondered how much time he had left with her. He slowly sat up, careful to keep her wrapped in his arms, and met Scarecrow's eyes. Scarecrow had a concerned, puzzled look on his face, his eyes darting from Joker to Jester and back. Joker simply shook his head, and Scarecrow understood. "How long?" Joker called to him.

"10 minutes," Scarecrow confirmed, smiling at Harley and Catwoman as they made their way back over.

Poison Ivy eventually made her way down the corridor, a small succulent plant in her hand. She had the happiest look on her face as she brought it right into her cell, careful to hide it where guards wouldn't see it. Catwoman had glanced at Jester and noticed the woman looked absolutely miserable. Scarecrow noticed and gripped her shoulder, shaking his head at her. He put his finger to his lips in a shushing motion and Catwoman took the hint. Harley watched the exchange and understood as well, minding her own business as she returned to her cell next to Jester's, careful not to look at her friend.

Joker pulled the key ring out of his pocket, carefully examining each and every key on it. He noticed an extra master key on it and grinned, realizing Graham had done it on purpose. "Smart," Joker muttered, removing the extra from the ring and tucking it into his pocket. He looked around, trying to find anything he could block or destroy the camera with. He pulled open the nightstand next to Jester's cot and grinned when he saw the pen there.

"Ivy, think you can give me a lift?" Joker asked, careful to keep quiet. He carefully set Jester back down, watching sadly as she curled back up into a tight ball and remained quiet. He made his way out of her cell and looked towards the camera in the corner.

"I can't hold you up too long, but this little beauty will give me a boost," Poison Ivy grinned at her stolen succulent, thrilled to have some kind of greenery in her cell.

"Quickly," Joker whispered, standing beneath the camera. Vines wrapped around his legs, trailing gently up and around his body, encasing him in a cocoon-like hold. They left his arms free allowing him to rip the panel of the camera right off of the wall. He chuckled as the screws that held it in place clattered to the floor, using the pen to pull all the wires out and ripping them all in half, permanently disabling the camera. He carefully shoved the ripped, destroyed wires back into the hole in the wall and carefully set the camera and the panel back in place, grinning at the vines that had picked up the screws from the floor and brought them to his eye level. He made quick work of screwing them back in, the camera and panel looking completely untouched as Poison Ivy lowered him carefully to the ground.

"Thank you," he muttered, nodding at her. She was exhausted and weak, paler than usual and sweating. "You look like shit. What are they injecting you with?"

She shook her head, trying to catch her breath and stumbling back into her cell. She plopped down onto her cot, cradling the little succulent plant close to her. "I don't know. Something to cut off my pheromones and lower my toxicity. It also affects my poison lips," she rasped, looking absolutely heartbroken.

"Who's dosing you?" Joker asked, glancing down the corridor to make sure Graham wasn't back yet.

"Leland," Poison Ivy supplied, rage flashing in her pretty green eyes.

"I'll take care of it," Joker assured her, shooting her a wink. "Rest up, ficus. I think we're gonna need to get out of here sooner than we planned."

* * *

He got Scarecrow, Catwoman, Harley and himself in their cells and locked in just as Graham came strolling down the hallway. Joker handed Graham his keys back, neither of them saying a word, and waited patiently for another hour until lights out. Once the corridor was dark, he glanced at the camera out of the corner of his eye and confirmed it wasn't on. He left his shirt on his cot, sliding his feet into his slippers and quietly letting himself out of his own cell and into Jester's.

"I'm sorry I left you," he whispered, sliding into her cot. He carefully sat her up, trying not to let her watery, puffy eyes break his resolve as he pulled her shirt off and helped her out of her pants. He knew she hated sleeping with pants on – no matter how cold she ever was, she refused to wear pants to bed. She told him she hated the way they'd bunch up as she slept and she'd always wake up in the middle of the night, sweating and uncomfortable with the pants bunched all the way up her thighs. She preferred to sleep in one of his t-shirts or in nothing at all. He left her bra and panties on, not willing to risk anyone seeing her more exposed than she already was, and carefully tucked her back in. Once she was laying back down, he pulled her into his arms and cradled the back of her head, pulling her closer to his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat.

"Talk to me, songbird," he tangled his legs with hers, wrapping his other arm around her and stroking her side with his fingers. "You know you can tell me anything."

"If I'm... if we _did,"_ she growled, annoyed with herself at how badly she was struggling to get the words out. Joker stroked her hair reassuringly, staying quiet. "If I'm pregnant, and we get rid of it here... they won't let you be with me in the room. I'll be alone."

"I won't allow that." Joker's words were laced with venom, sending chills down Jester's spine. "I would light this god damn place up like a Christmas tree before that ever happened."

Jester simply nodded, wrapping her hands around the back of his neck and lacing her fingers together. "Would you resent me?"

"Never." His chest rumbled as he chuckled, the vibration of it comforting Jester. He stopped suddenly, and she heard the sharp intake of air in his lungs before he continued. "However, princess... _if _you're pregnant, and you decide to keep it, I will still be right here. I told you – you'd have to kill me to get rid of me."

"You'd be a _father_?" her voice was void of any and all emotion. She pulled her head away from his chest and looked up into his face.

"I can't see myself as one, but if you wanted to take that leap and you had enough faith in us to do so, then I'd do my best at it." He met her gaze with his own and kissed her forehead. "I'd do anything for you, remember?"

"Shut up," she whispered, choking on a sob. The conversation was way too emotional for her, and she felt confused and conflicted. This was not the reaction she expected – she expected him to be angry, to threaten her or maybe hurt her, or to drag her by the hair to the medical ward. He was possessive, territorial, irrational and temperamental – she never, ever imagined in a million years that he would handle this conversation so well – and _calmly. _

_And now he's telling me he'd take a crack at fatherhood if I was ever knocked up and kept it. What in the h-e-double fuck is happening right now? Are they actually drugging me? What if I'm on meds and they're making me hallucinate? That has happened before, it's possible... right? This can't be real. What's even scarier is the little part of me that felt hope and excitement at the thought of he and I bringing a child into the world. I never wanted kids... I hated pregnancy both times, I was terribly ill and in the hospital constantly, I was miserable... I'd rather be shoved into an Iron Maiden than give birth, and I can't even take care of myself half the time. I don't have the patience to raise a child – I'm too scatterbrained, too disorganized, too hostile... what if I hurt it? What if it did something to piss me off and I hurt it? Or what if Joker did? _

"Even if we didn't abort it – we'd end up killing it eventually." She seemed cold and detached as she said it, a serious look on her face.

Joker wasn't buying it. He saw right through it. "Ye of little faith," he teased, kissing her forehead again. "You forget how much help we'd have – Johnny, Tommy, Floyd, Harls, Ivy, the Cat... It would be safe – it would be _loved." _

"Yeah? What happens when Batsy and his little fuckboy round us up again? What happens when the kid gets caught in the crossfire? It would never have any friends, it would never be able to go to school or live a normal life. We'd have to hide it, keep it out of public until it was old enough to take care of itself. What about all the mental illness it'll suffer because of us? Not a day goes by that I don't wish my own biological mother had just aborted me instead – I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to suffer and struggle every fucking day for the rest of my life. Aside from that – what about the chemicals? Your blood is toxic – what if mine is too? What if it is poisoned to death in my womb from the chemicals?"

Joker shushed her, pulling her head back into his chest. "Stop," he commanded, resting his chin on top of her head. "Those are all valid points – but you're forgetting quite a few things, baby. As far as the mental health issues go – you know the kid would be better off around all of us instead of struggling to meet society's standards of normalcy and being outcast for being different." He tilted her chin up, licking his lips before pressing them to hers for a quick, soft kiss. He pulled back and kept his fingers under her chin, looking her right in the eye.

"You struggled as much as you did because your parents didn't believe in mental illness and kept telling you to suck it up – when it got worse, your mom sent you away. Then she shoved pills down your throat for a decade and dragged you all over the place to different doctors that didn't do shit to help you. You were 13 when your depression reared its ugly head and you didn't understand what to do or what was wrong with you because you were stifled and shoved aside. You were bullied at school, at home, and had nobody to talk to. Our kid wouldn't _ever _go through any of that. It would have parents who understand, aunts and uncles who understand." He brushed his thumb across her cheek, giving her a small smile.

"Look around us. You think Floyd, Harls, Ivy, the kitty, or Straw Man over there would ever let something happen to the kid? Do you forget who we are?" He chuckled a little, shaking his head at her. "That kid would be the safest kid on the fuckin' planet."

Jester opened her mouth to speak but Joker put a finger to her lips. "Hold that thought," he whispered. "If you're that worried about the caped crusader, I'd stop everything. The banks, the club, all of it. We'd be boring, normal-ish parents with a mediocre life and ridiculously lavish things. I'm a billionaire, baby. I do the things I do because I'm impulsive and I love it. I could stop. Apart from that, I doubt the chemicals in your body would hurt it. If they haven't made you sterile, I'm sure your womb is just fine. Besides – you know the chemicals affected our DNA and our blood, I'm sure the kid would benefit from that."

Joker realized at that point that their friends were very much awake, alert, and eavesdropping. Normally that kind of invasion of privacy would drive him into a blind rage resulting in a killing spree, but not this time. These were people he knew he could trust, and they'd be in his child's life if he were to ever have one. They all protected Jester with their lives and he knew they'd do the same for their child, if they ever had one. So he pretended not to notice them listening in and smiled down at Jester, wiping her tears away.

"The icing on the cake, my beautiful Queen, is that the kid would be a product of _us_. It would be half me, half you, and I think that's pretty neat. I just hope it would look more like you – we both know you're the prettier one in this relationship – however, if anyone asks, I _never_ said that." He was satisfied when she chuckled at that, a small smile stretching across her lips. "That kid would be just like us, baby. I can't say I'm not curious about what it would look like, regardless of whether it was male or female. The kid would be a pale genius with a knack for killing. Not so bad, if you ask me."

Jester chuckled again, wiping her eyes with her arm. She snuggled back into Joker, burying her head back in his chest and took a deep breath. "You're right," she whispered, laughing at how bitter the words sounded as they left her mouth. "All very good points – but you forgot something."

"What? Impossible! I covered everything," Joker's tone was laced with haughty arrogance and she laughed with him.

"I'd have to push that pale fuck out of my vagina, babe," she muttered, scowling.

"Oh, _that_ part," Joker mused. "Could cut you open, take it out, and tattoo something over the scar."

"Jesus fuck," Jester sighed, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."

"Think about it – we could have matching smile tattoos. You'd be halfway there!"

"Go the fuck to sleep," Jester was laughing again, her sadness and anxiety finally fading away.

"I will... after I put a clown baby inside you." Joker pulled her face back up to his and kissed her feverishly, devouring her mouth with his own. Jester moaned into his mouth, cursing her inability to resist him as she melted into the kiss.

"Baby – no – can't!" She tried pushing him away but he only pulled her closer, slowing his kiss down and caressing her tongue with his own.

"If you want a baby, all you have to do is say the word and I'm putting one in you," he whispered as he broke the kiss, grinning at her. "I hear making babies is _lots _of fun."

"You're the worst! I was already wondering how the hell I'd keep my hands off of you for God knows how long, and here you are telling me you wanna put a baby in me. I thought you'd fucking kill me once I told you they weren't giving me my birth control." Jester's amused look slowly faded as a murderous one bled into Joker's face.

"That's where you're wrong," he growled. "I wouldn't murder _you _for this – but if you were any other broad, I absolutely would. You're the only one, remember? You're the only one I'd ever consider this with. I'd slaughter any other woman who even _thought _about carrying my child."

"That's... comforting," Jester muttered, looking conflicted.

"What I mean, my little bird, is that I only love you. I've only ever loved _you_. I want to be with you forever, until the day I die. How could I be angry about us conceiving a child, accidentally or not? It would be a huge part of _you_. I'd never, ever be angry about that. I wouldn't mind having another piece of you around all the time."

"Oh my god, they must be drugging you," Jester replied, her eyes wide with shock. "Are you high? What did they do to you? They didn't zap your brain again, did they?"

Joker cupped her face in his hands, his eyes darkening as he regarded her. "Listen to me, Jester. I'm going to say this once and only once – I love you so much I'd be willing to try and get out of this lifestyle to raise a child with you. I'd do whatever it took to raise it right and keep it safe and happy. This offer will always be on the table – so if you decide you want it, all you have to do is say so. If you decide you don't want a child and you never say anything, it won't hurt me. I am fine either way. This is a bigger, scarier decision for _you _to make. Your body, _your_ rules."

Jester said nothing, shifting the blanket so it covered them both before she pulled her panties off and reached for the waistband of his pants.

"Are you _sure_?" Joker growled, trying to restrain himself.

"I don't know," Jester admitted. "All I know right now is that I love you, and I want to be with you forever, too, J. If we end up conceiving, or already have, we'll talk about it once it's confirmed. For now, just shut up and keep being sweet to me."

"Anything for you," he purred, tugging his pants and boxers down and hoisting her leg up over his hip. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers as he entered her, slowly and gently. Jester's eyebrows furrowed as she kissed him, confused. He never, ever went slow and gentle like this. They always fucked – and they fucked _hard. _This... this seemed like he was _making_ _love_ to her. She kept her thoughts to herself, relaxing into his grip and his kiss and threading her fingers through his green hair.

Joker carefully shifted them so she was underneath him, flat on her back. He looked into her eyes and stroked her cheek with his fingers as he made love to her. Jester blushed furiously, not understanding what she was supposed to be doing, saying, or feeling – she had never 'made love' before. She was used to hard, fast, rough sex – this was a completely different ballgame.

"I haven't done this before either," Joker whispered, as if he had read her mind. He always seemed to know what she was thinking or feeling, even when she was doing her best to hide it. He trailed kisses along her throat and collarbone, making his way to the tattoo of his name on her chest.

"I don't know what to do," the words fell out of Jester's mouth so quickly she didn't have time to stop herself. She was mortified, avoiding Joker's eyes as he stopped his movements and held himself up over her.

"Jester," he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Look at me."

She did, albeit hesitantly. "You don't need to do or say anything – let your instincts guide you. Stop over analyzing this. Close your eyes, focus on me and let me please you."

She did as he bade, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around him. He lowered himself on top of her and she sighed happily under his weight, gripping the back of his head as he buried it in the crook of her neck. He purred in her ear, keeping up his slow and steady pace, going as deep as he possibly could inside her. She listened carefully to his breathing, his low, quiet moans, purrs and growls and smiled at how good they all sounded, even mixed with her own.

She felt her release building up the more she focused on how good he felt inside her – how his deep, slow strokes seemed to set all her nerve endings on fire and sent chills up and down her spine. "Oh, J, right there," she gasped, arching slightly into him.

"Tell me, baby," he purred, trailing soft kisses up her throat and across her jaw. "I need to know."

She knew what he meant – she could feel it. He was swelling inside her, twitching slightly, and she knew he was just as close as she was. He was asking her if she was taking him up on his offer, or if he should pull out and lessen the chances. She fought down the panic that bubbled up in her chest and bit back the tears coming to her eyes and bit her lip, nodding slightly.

"Say it," he whispered, trailing one of his big, pale hands slowly down her form until he reached her abdomen, slowly stroking the flesh there. "Say it, say it, _say _it."

Her eyes snapped open and instantly met his. "I want..." Her bottom lip quivered and Joker stopped his movements inside her, studying her face carefully.

"I can stop right now, pull out, and we can wait until you're back on your pill. Don't do this unless you want this, baby. Don't factor me in – what do _you _want?"

"I'm scared," she whispered, the tears she was fighting back finally flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Me too," Joker whispered, giving her a small smile. "You wanna play baby roulette? I'll fill ya up and we'll just leave it up to fate?"

"This is the most irresponsible, irrational, ill-timed and impulsive thing we've ever done," Jester whispered, wrapping her legs tight around him and locking her ankles together.

"Fuck," Joker hissed, fighting off his release. "Careful."

"I don't want to be – not with you." Jester pulled his head down and kissed him hard, putting all her anxiety, fear, love, and elation into it.

Joker immediately began pumping in and out of her again, taking it as slow as he could to try and draw it out even longer.

"J... J, I'm going to cum," she whispered, a slight panic in her voice.

He smiled down at her. "With me," he whispered, pressing his lips to hers as she shattered, her contracting muscles milking him as he spilled himself deep inside of her, buried to the hilt. "I love you, my little Songbird."

"I love you too," she rasped, her throat tight and dry as she tried to fight off her tears.

Joker laughed, pulling her as close as possible. He was still inside her, enjoying her warmth despite how sensitive his flesh was, and mulled over the possibility that he may have just created a life inside of the only woman he ever loved – in Arkham Asylum, the same place he first laid eyes on her and fell in love with her. He laughed at the irony of it, tangling his legs with hers.

"What's so funny?" she mumbled into his chest, on the cusp of sleep.

"I was thinking... here we are, having sex and possibly conceiving a child in Arkham Asylum where it all began. We've come full circle."

Jester giggled. "Oh Jesus... well, if we did conceive and we keep it, it might be worth lying about how he or she was conceived."

Joker laughed at that. "What? You don't think it's romantic? Mommy and Daddy meeting in Arkham Asylum as cell neighbors and falling in love, then ending up back in Arkham together and sneaking into each other's cells to uh... _'make love''_?

"I'm fucking cringing," Jester laughed, tilting her head up to press a kiss to his throat. "Let's not forget the breakout, all the murder, and Mommy running away from Daddy, resulting in Daddy killing 1/3 of Gotham's population trying to find her while she was killing another 1/3 as a contract killer."

"Now _that_ is a story with some Hollywood potential!"

"You're ridiculous."

"You love me, baby." He slid a hand down to her naked tummy, stroking the skin there again. "So much that you're willing to let me inject the spawn of Satan into your womb."

"Wow, _that's_ romantic," Jester's tone was dripping with sarcasm and Joker laughed.

Joker grinned at her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before getting up and sliding his boxers and pants back on. "Let's get you dressed, gorgeous," he whispered. "I don't want these assholes seeing any of you. This is for _my_ eyes only." He picked up her shirt and her pants, kissing every inch of flesh he could reach as he helped her into her clothes, paying special attention to her flat tummy. She was sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs hanging over, and he was kneeling on the floor in front of her. He lifted her shirt a little, pressing one hand to her tummy.

"There might be a little baby in here," he whispered, dragging his gaze up to hers. He looked nervous, curious, and excited all at once and Jester smiled at him, putting her hand over his.

"I'm fucking terrified, J," she whispered, clutching his hand for dear life.

"Well, let's not get our hopes up – that way, if you're not pregnant or don't end up pregnant, we won't be disappointed. On the other hand, if you _are _pregnant or end up pregnant, then we'll be excited, right?" He looked unsure as he finished his sentence, dropping his gaze back to the hand on her tummy.

"I think so," she croaked. "We're absolutely fucking insane for this."

"Welcome to Arkham, baby," Joker winked at her, both of them chuckling.

"Stay with me? I know you have to go back but can you please stay a little longer? At least until I'm asleep?" Jester bit her lip, wringing her hands in her lap.

"Already planned on it, gorgeous," He whispered, lifting her and moving her over to the side, slipping into the cot next to her. He lay flat on his back and she snuggled into his side, her head resting on his bare chest right over his heart. He tangled one hand in her hair, lacing the fingers of his free hand with hers and resting them both against her tummy. "Whatever happens, I'll always be right here." He kissed the top of her head and stared up at the ceiling, smiling a little. He had been more anxious and terrified than she was, and the pep talk he gave her ended up calming him down more than it calmed her. _Go figure... _

He felt someone's eyes on him and turned his head, meeting Harley's gaze. He grinned at her, careful not to move too much. Jester's slow, deep breaths and stillness confirmed she was fast asleep. He reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her cigarettes and a pack of matches, lighting one for himself and offering one to Harley, who gladly accepted.

"You might be a daddy," Harley whispered, grinning at Jester's sleeping form.

"I might be. I also might be dead in the morning when this all hits her like a ton of bricks."

"I think it's different for her with you," Harley whispered.

"Meaning?"

"She loves ya – really, _truly _loves ya, like she's never loved anybody before. You gained her trust, you earned her love, you protect her – you're her safe place, ya know? You're her rock. You're the one that's always been there – even when she did everything she could to get away from ya, you didn't give up. You would've burned _countries _to the ground until you died searching for her, and she knows it. You're different, Mistah J." Harley smiled at him reassuringly, cocking her head to the side as she sat up on her cot and took a puff of her cigarette. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but... I see why you guys are scared, ya know? But you made a good point, Mistah J. We're all here – we'd all help you. That kid really would be _so loved." _

"How could it not be? It'd be half me, half Jester. The two greatest creatures to ever exist." He laughed quietly, not wanting to wake Jester who was still out cold on his chest.

"Oh, shut _up,"_ Catwoman was rolling her eyes from where she stood at her cell door. "You better hope he or she turns out to be more like Jester – we can't deal with another one of _you." _

"First thing I'm teaching the child as its uncle is that its Daddy _loves _key marks on his purple Lamborghini." Scarecrow covered his mouth to stifle his laughter at the murderous look Joker shot him.

"I'll be sure to teach it how much it's uncle Scaredy-crow _loves _being set on fire," Joker retorted.

"Oh, I hope the child has a green thumb – I'd love to pass my knowledge and skills on." Poison Ivy was also up and out of bed, watching the two clowns carefully.

"So, did all of you perverts watch her and I have sex?" He rolled his eyes, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.

"I did not," Scarecrow confirmed.

Joker didn't like the silence that followed, lifting his head to make eye contact with each female. _"Perverts!" _he hissed, shaking his head at them. "You're lucky she loves you broads, or I'd kill you all."

"That's no way to talk to your child's aunts," Poison Ivy scolded, shaking a finger at him.

"I mean... 'The Joker' doesn't do things like making love. I was curious..." Catwoman shrugged. "You know what they say."

"Curiosity killed the cat. Blah, blah,blah," Joker drawled, careful to keep his lit cigarette far away from Jester.

"I thought it was really cute," Harley whispered, grinning at him.

"Jesus Christ," Joker muttered, finishing his cigarette and putting it out on the floor of Jester's cell, tossing the butt under her cot. He looked down at her sleeping face and pressed a kiss to her forehead, another to her nose, and a third to her cheek. He slowly and carefully lifted her head, replacing his chest with her pillow as he slipped out of her cot. He covered her with her blankets, tucking her in nice and tight, making sure she was comfortable before making his way to her cell door. He stopped once he reached it, looking over his shoulder at her and growling in frustration and anger. He didn't like sleeping without her, especially not here where she was 8 feet away from him in the opposite cell. _Especially not when she may be carrying my child... _

"If she's pregnant..." his voice was a low snarl, his eyes still glued to Jester as he made his way out of her cell, locking the door securely before making his way across the corridor to his own cell.

"Then fuck the plan, fuck this place, we're getting her the hell out of here as soon as possible." Catwoman looked more fierce than he'd ever seen her.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Joker agreed, returning his gaze to Jester. "We can just burn this shit hole to the ground with everyone inside and leave. Sure, they'll rebuild it, but it'll take ages."

"They'll just put us all in Blackgate," Scarecrow sighed.

"They can't hold me there either. That's why they keep me here – there are _straitjackets_." Joker tilted his head back, laughing.

"If she is, Joker..." Scarecrow waited to continue until Joker met his gaze. "Congratulations."

Joker smirked, winking at Scarecrow. "I'd say thanks, but we don't know anything yet. Also... I don't know if 'congratulations' would be a proper term for evil incarnate such as myself reproducing. I think they call that 'an abomination' or 'the apocalypse.'"

"Oh yeah, you'll be a _terrific _father," Poison Ivy shook her head at him, chuckling a little.

Harley was uncharacteristically quiet, causing Joker to look over at her.. He fought back the smile that threatened to stretch across his face as he found her on her cot, laying on her side and keeping an eye on Jester as she slept. Harley wasn't paying attention to anything else.

"It'll be _loved_," he whispered, laying down on his cot and folding his arms behind his head.

* * *

Jester was quiet as she was escorted into the therapy room. She had woken up a little cold, missing Joker's warmth, and then everything from the previous night had come rushing back to her. She didn't speak much to him, Harley, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, or Catwoman this morning – not even at breakfast. She felt awkward – she could tell by everyone's silence and acceptance of her unusual mood that they knew what was going on. She didn't know whether they were awake and heard all of it or Joker told them, but if she had to assume, she figured they had eavesdropped. She wasn't mad, and she hoped they understood that – she didn't care if they knew, it was probably better for her and the baby's safety that they all knew. She was _scared_. It was easy to want this last night when she was laying down with Joker and he was being so loving and attentive and sweet, so out of character, but this morning was completely different.

Another typical morning in Arkham – wake up in a cold cot, get shackled, take a shower while shackled in a stall surrounded by a ton of other women, go eat a shitty, stale breakfast, get escorted to therapy and put on an act for an hour. Well, she certainly wasn't in the mood to put on an act today – not even for the Abercrombie model. She was so lost and wrapped up in her thoughts and anxieties that she didn't notice Doctor Mills had instructed her guards to remove her shackles and had placed her muffin and coffee in front of her as soon as they were gone. She had been staring at the far wall behind him since she entered the room, her aqua eyes completely glazed over.

"Jester? _Jester!" _Doctor Mills was leaning over the table, waving his hand in front of her face, growing more and more concerned by the minute the longer she didn't respond.

Finally she startled, jumping a little in her seat. "Where am I?" She asked, looking around. "Oh. Right. Therapy time."

Doctor Mills noticed how flat her voice was and how distracted and distant she seemed and decided he'd spend this session getting to the bottom of whatever it was that was bothering her.

"I brought you your muffin and your coffee," he said slowly, standing from his seat and striding to his desk at the opposite end of the room. "I put enough cream into it to make it light, but I wasn't sure how sweet you wanted it or what kind of sugar you use..." He grabbed several different colored packets from a paper bag tucked into a drawer in the desk and gave Jester a small smile as he came to stand next to her at the table. He handed her a wooden stirrer and all the different packets, frowning when she didn't reach for any of them or even look at him.

"This is a redundant question given the circumstances, but... are you alright?"

Jester's eyes finally refocused and she straightened up in her chair, furrowing her eyebrows as she went to reach for the packets and noticed she was _able _to.

"My chains..." she was examining her wrists and ankles, completely confused. She rubbed her wrists gingerly, frowning slightly at the angry looking red indents in her skin.

"You were... out of it. I asked your guards to remove your shackles. I figured you'd rather feed yourself and drink your coffee without my help." Doctor Mills cocked his head to the side, watching as she picked up the packets of raw cane sugar and dumped 3 into the large coffee he had given her.

"They had Green Mountain so I went with Black Magic... you said you liked bold coffee."

"There's cream in it..." Jester was mumbling, stirring the coffee with the wooden stirrer he had provided her with.

"Yes," Doctor Mills confirmed.

"Thanks," She muttered, still staring at her coffee. She finally raised the cup to her lips, taking a tentative sip of it and a small smile crept across her mouth. "Raspberry," she whispered.

"I didn't know if you'd like it, but it wasn't on your list of things you'd kill me for." Doctor Mills chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"I love raspberry," she replied, finally looking up at him.

"I do too," he supplied. "Is the muffin up to your standards, Miss Jester?"

Jester smiled wider, remembering the muffin and quickly taking a bite of it. She closed her eyes and sighed, chewing slowly. "It's amazing," she whispered once she had swallowed it all down. "Thanks, Doc. I needed this."

"I can tell. What's going on with you this morning?" He leaned back in his seat and smiled genuinely at her as she enjoyed her muffin and coffee.

"Is that one of your three questions for today?" She countered, some of her usual fire slowly creeping back in.

"There she is," Doctor Mills threw his hands up as if in praise. "I was afraid I lost ya for a minute there."

Jester put her muffin down, taking another gulp of her coffee. She folded her hands together on he table top and tilted her head to the side as she fixed him with a serious look. "I threatened you – more than once, actually. Why do you like me? You could have taken a different case. An _easier_ case."

"And miss out on all the fun we have? No thanks," Doctor Mills countered. "To answer your first question, yes. That's my first question out of three today."

Jester continued to stare at him, not bothering with her muffin or coffee anymore as she pieced together a response in her head. "The god damn orderlies aren't giving me my fucking birth control," she replied coolly.

"That's why you're so... _disoriented?_" Doctor Mills wasn't buying it. "You gave me your word that you'd be honest – that's not all you're distracted about this morning."

"You realize that if I expand on this and you find out the truth, he'll kill you to keep anyone from finding out, right?" She removed her hands from the table, folding them in her lap.

"Who? Joker? I know he's got a hair-trigger temper, but I don't know why he'd kill me over the orderlies not giving you your birth control." Doctor Mills raised an eyebrow at Jester and she leaned back in her seat, a serious expression on her face.

"They're not giving me my birth control. It's unsettling. That's all."

"Well, they usually don't here. I can try and get you back on it, though. Are you only on it for its primary purpose? That's why they don't give it here – there shouldn't be any _fraternizing _between patients." A slight blush crept into Doctor Mills' cheeks and Jester just nodded, not even heckling him for his obvious embarrassment.

"Okay," she conceded, getting back to her muffin.

"You're hiding something from me," Doctor Mills sighed. "You didn't even make fun of me for being embarrassed and uncomfortable, and didn't make an inappropriate sexual innuendo at me. Cut the bullshit and tell me what's going on – outside of your little circle, I'm probably your only friend in this fucking place."

"Such _language_," she chided, setting her muffin down. "You're my friend now, are you? One muffin and a coffee and we're BFF's? You're my _doctor, _Brian, so do me a favor and stick to that – you could use the practice, after all." She rose from her seat, scowling, and made her way towards the door.

"Jester – where are you going?" Doctor Mills didn't even scold her for using his first name, too perplexed by her strange behavior this morning.

"I'm done here. I'm leaving. I want to go back to my cell." She reached for the doorknob but stopped when she heard Doctor Mills slam his hands down on the table.

"Sit _down, _Miss Ali," he barked, glaring at her.

She turned around to face him, quirking an eyebrow and smirking at him. "Well, well, well... look who put his big boy pants on today."

"Good, keep heckling me. I'm over this weird, quiet, distant shit. Jesus, I never thought I'd _want _a patient to threaten and verbally assault me." Doctor Mills reached across the table experimentally, wondering if she'd allow him to pat her hand. To his utter shock and surprise, she did. He made it very quick, retracting his hand after the slightest brush of skin.

"I cannot tell you what's bothering me. Do you remember what I said to you at the end of our session yesterday about keeping you alive?" She eyed him seriously, not even blinking. When he nodded, she tilted her head. "This is me keeping you alive. Next question, please."

"Wait a minute..." Doctor Mills' eyes lit up with realization and he stared hard at her. "If you weren't... _active, _you wouldn't be worried about the birth control."

"Don't," Jester warned him, her eyes flashing with rage.

"I'm scheduling you for a physical in the medical ward," he said, pulling out his pad and writing it down so he'd remember.

"Don't!" She shouted, springing up out of her chair. She leaned across the table menacingly, almost nose to nose with him, and snarled. "If you want to live – you will forget this entire conversation ever happened, _Brian_."

"Are you pregnant, Jester?" Doctor Mills whispered, meeting her gaze head on. He refused to back down, wanting answers to explain her odd behavior. He had been looking very forward to this session, excited that she had agreed to a clean slate and to 3 honest answers to 3 questions each session that he brought her a muffin and coffee... and here they were on day one, the whole session a complete shit show so far.

"I'm sorry," Jester whispered, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes so quickly he almost thought he imagined it.

"You're... sorry?"

"I warned you," she whispered, slowly making her way around the table. "I tried to help you."

Doctor Mills went rigid in his seat, realizing what was about to happen. "Jester!" He tried to mask the panic in his voice to no avail, debating pressing the panic button under the table.

"Touch that button and I'm going to have to make it painful. Don't make me do that." Doctor Mills' breath hitched as her small hands slid over his shoulders, coming quite close to the base of his throat. She lowered her head, her lips right next to his ear, whispering to him. "As it is, it's better that_ I_ do this... believe me, you don't want it to be _him_."

"I won't say a single word," Doctor Mills blurted. "I swear. Doctor-Patient confidentiality, remember? I won't say anything to anyone."

"I don't trust anyone, Doc. I certainly don't trust you." She squeezed his shoulders and he screwed his eyes shut, waiting for her to make her move. "As it is, I'll have an even bigger bullseye on my back than usual if I _am_ pregnant – you know who the father is. You know how hated he is. You know he's constantly hunted. I was already a target just by being with him – and if I'm really _pregnant? _I'd be hunted like an animal."

"I won't say a word, I swear." Doctor Mills opened his eyes and took a risk – he leaned his head back, meeting her gaze with his own. "I promise you."

"Why not? You'd make a lot of money off this information."

"I wouldn't want you to be hurt. I wouldn't want a baby to be hurt. I'm not a monster."

"I _am. _Joker _is. _So, again... why wouldn't you tell anyone? Why wouldn't you want me hurt? Don't give me the good Samaritan bullshit either."

"Jesus fucking Christ, Jester. I like you! It _is _possible for people to like you – _outside _of the Rogues." Doctor Mills was glaring at her at this point, reaching up and grabbing her hands. "Now sit back down... please."

"If you open your mouth, I can't save you." She slowly made her way to her seat, settling herself back down. She rubbed her hands together, trying to wipe away the strange feeling he gave her when he grabbed them. She was shocked that he had the balls to do it, she had killed others for way less... but something about this Doctor intrigued her. He was one of those rare types that actually cared and wanted to help. _Bless his fragile little soul._

"I still want you to get checked out." He was adamant, giving her a pleading look. "If you're pregnant, you need to be looked after properly – your diet needs to change, you need prenatal vitamins, you need to be taken out of the cell you're in..."

"NO," She snapped, lunging across the table. She moved fast, like a lioness pouncing on her prey. Doctor Mills barely had time to register what happened as his back collided with the floor, his chair sliding towards the bookcase. Jester was straddling him, fisting his shirt in her hands and her eyes were darkening.

"Okay," he conceded, putting his hands up in a show of surrender. "I'm just trying to help."

"Don't make me kill you," she snarled, nose to nose with him.

Doctor Mills flinched under her aqua green gaze, trying to ignore his body's natural reaction to having a gorgeous, physically attractive woman on top of him. Despite his terror and his anxiety, he found himself enjoying the closeness – her body was warm, small, and fit perfectly on top of him. Her long, wavy purple hair tickled his cheek as it hung down, and his skin tingled everywhere that she was touching him. He swallowed hard, realizing the situation was turning him on – especially the way she was fisting his shirt. "Jester..." his voice was husky when he spoke and he silently cursed himself, "let's sit back down, shall we?"

"Are you uncomfortable, Doc?" Jester taunted, a wicked grin spreading across her face. She fisted his shirt tighter in her hands, choking him slightly, and teasingly shifted on top of him to straddle him properly.

"Don't," Doctor Mills croaked, fighting the urge to touch her. _She's your patient. She's the Joker's self-proclaimed Queen. She is a psychopath, a hit woman, and incredibly dangerous. She is keeping you alive for a purpose – once your purpose is fulfilled, she's going to kill you. You must be professional – no fraternizing with patients! _He was trying so hard to reign himself in and to tamp down his obvious desire for her, reminding himself that this was his job and one should never mix business with pleasure – especially not in this field. _But oh... her lips. Those full, burgundy lips. _His mind flashed back to the picture of her as she originally was – olive skin, bright green eyes, black hair. She was gorgeous that way – but something about her new look was incredibly mesmerizing and sexy. Raven was the girl you took home to meet your parents – Jester was the one you snuck in through the window in the middle of the night and fucked like a rabid animal.

"Fantasizing, are we?" Her voice jarred him and he snapped back to reality, trying to scramble away from her on the floor, but she kept her grip on him. She was surprisingly strong for such a small woman – freakishly so.

"Please. I'd like to try and continue the session." He shot her a pleading look, biting his bottom lip as hard as he could to distract himself as he watched her lick her lips above him.

"Alright," she conceded, cackling as she released him and got to her feet. "Clean yourself up and get your chair." She sat back down in her seat, leaning to the side of it and resting her chin in her hand. Her free hand dangled lazily from the arm of her chair, and Doctor Mills couldn't help wondering how many men that very same hand had strangled to death in the past few months.

When he was finally seated, he took a deep breath and ripped the page off of his pad with the reminder he wrote for her appointment. He locked eyes with Jester as he shredded the page, making sure nothing would be legible if someone were to try and piece it back together. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself," he said, refusing to back down when she glared at him in response. "That's all I wanted to say – I won't bring it up again."

"Good boy," she cooed, shooting him a wink. She reached for her muffin and made quick work of scarfing it down – she hadn't eaten breakfast due to her sour mood and she was starving.

"Next question..." Doctor Mills thought for a moment, not wanting to waste the last two ones he had in today's session. "What use am I to you? You're keeping me alive for a reason – I'm not naive enough to think that you'll keep me alive after I've served my purpose."

"How clever," she sing-songed. Though her tone was light and airy, he picked up on the low, deep snarl in it – a clear warning. She took a sip of her coffee to wash down the rest of her muffin and leaned across the table, her hands in her lap. "Maybe I just wanna fuck you, Doc."

"Well look who's back," he smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood and keep her rage contained. He'd rather not have a repeat of being slammed to the floor like a rag doll. "Seriously, Jester. You gave me your word – 3 questions, 3 honest answers."

"What makes you think I have any kind of honor? Morals? I have killed hundreds of men in just a few months – how do you think I lured some of them?" She cocked her head to the side and grinned at him, causing a chill to run down his spine. He noticed that she mirrored many of the Joker's mannerisms and behaviors, acting and speaking just like him – she even laughed just like him sometimes.

"I think you want to be honest with me, Jester," Doctor Mills countered, ignoring her subtle threat. "I think you're as intrigued by me as I am by you, and I think you enjoy talking to me."

"Perhaps," she allowed, leaning back in her seat with a cocky, smug smirk on her face. "I pity you, Doc. You're going to die a nobody – a handsome, intelligent, compassionate young man with dreams of saving the world, one broken person at a time, and you won't succeed. You'll die _here_, in Arkham Asylum, way before you even get a year into your contract, and nobody will remember a single fucking thing you did." She clicked her tongue at him in scolding, shaking her head. "You could have been an entrepreneur, you could have been a male model, you could have been an influencer or an actor, maybe. You could have easily gotten rich off of that pretty face of yours and it would've saved your life."

"You're going to kill me." It was a statement, not a question. The look on Jester's face said it all. Doctor Mills ignored the waves of nausea her statement caused him, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He couldn't look at her any longer – the cold, detached, glassy look in her eyes was unsettling him to his very core. He wondered how many other men got that same exact look from her right before she offed them. "Why?"

"Brian – there's a lot of shit they obviously hid from you when you came here. Do you know about the previous breakouts? Are you aware of _why _there are always so many positions open here?" She eyed him curiously, reaching across the table and tapping his hand with her finger to get his attention. "Listen up, because I'm going to tell you the truth."

"The truth?" Doctor Mills finally met her gaze, running a clammy, numb hand through his hair. Just as Jester was about to speak, her guards came in to escort her to the Rec Room. He hadn't realized they had run out of time. "If you don't mind, Jester, I'd like to extend our session another hour." He looked hopefully at her, holding up a hand towards her guards to stop them from shackling her.

She looked thoughtful for a moment, eyeing her guards and then turning her gaze back to him. She knew that even if she went to the Rec Room, she'd just be quiet and avoiding Joker and her friends – she'd probably end up asking to be escorted back to her cell for some peace and quiet and alone time. This could provide a good distraction. "Today's your lucky day, Doc," she grinned at him, leaning back in her seat.

"Thank you," Doctor Mills said to her, giving her a small smile as he waved her guards off. "Now, where were we?"

"Look at the articles – and I don't mean _here_. Go to the library, look up Arkham's history. Look up Joker's. Do you think he ever gets caught and thrown in here because he was outnumbered or outmaneuvered? When he's here, it's because he _wants _to be. He always has a way out, Doc. _Always_."

"What about the times Batman has brought him in?" Doctor Mills' interest was piqued and Jester chuckled, amused at his excitement.

"That's different," she reasoned. "He would never, ever kill Batman. They're yin and yang. They need each other."

Doctor Mills nodded, mulling it over. "Where do I fit into this?"

"You'll be caught in the crossfire. I wasn't planning on killing you – it's just that if you are here when certain things happen, you won't have a shot in hell at surviving."

"You wouldn't help me?" He couldn't help but feel a little betrayed – sure, this was only their third session and he barely knew her, but he felt he had gained enough of her trust for her to at least like him as a human being – then again, dealing with psychopaths was always a crap shoot. "You kill abusers, rapists... _bad_ men. I'm not bad. I'm not like them."

"Oh, Brian... that's what they _all _say." She laughed humorlessly, throwing her head back. In that moment, he could almost swear he was sitting across from the female version of the Joker himself.

"You still haven't answered my question, Jester. How do I fit into all of this? What do you need me for?"

"That's easy, Doc," she purred, reaching across the table and stroking the skin on the back of his hand with her fingertips. "You're going to help me get out of here."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer**: I don't own or take credit for anything except my OC's.

**Author's Note: **I'm no longer putting in any warnings each chapter. If you've made it this far, nothing should really come as a surprise anymore.

* * *

"Explain this." Doctor Cleary was livid - it was written all over his face. He slammed a clown mask down on the table in front of Joker, his eyes burning with his rage as he faced off with the clown.

"Well, Doc, it looks like a clown mask to me." Joker grinned, meeting Doctor Cleary's gaze with his own.

"I know what it is. I want to know why it was on my doorstep." Doctor Cleary was getting angrier by the minute. He had walked out the front door of his home this morning on his way to work and found the old, worn clown mask deliberately placed on his doorstep - perfectly placed so it was facing him as he stepped outside. '_HA_ _HA_ _HA_' was scrawled on the forehead of the mask... in _blood_.

"Maybe ol' Patches misses ya. It _does_ look like him, after all." Joker cocked his head to the side, his grin never wavering, and watched in amusement as Doctor Cleary angrily paced the room.

"John Wayne Gacy was executed in 1994!" Doctor Cleary had obviously unraveled. Joker was disappointed, he figured it would take much more than a subtle threat to chip away at the man's sanity. Then again, he was a lot worse to face off and deal with than Pogo the fucking clown. This man had bitten off way more than he could chew in his arrogance, and now he was paying for it.

"Oh, right," Joker mused, rolling his head around as he mocked the Doctor. "The 18 minute long botched execution."

"Is this funny to you? Do you think this is a joke?" Doctor Cleary snapped at Joker, ceasing his pacing to glare at the Clown Prince of Crime across the room. He had requested that Joker be in a straitjacket for this session, not trusting him after the threat he made yesterday. He was thankful he had mentioned it yesterday after his session with Joker since the mask was left on his doorstep sometime during the night.

Joker cackled wickedly, throwing his head back as he did. His hair fell out of place, several strands coming loose and sticking out at odd angles. His laughter reverberated around the room, making Doctor Cleary's blood run cold. The laughter seemed to stop almost as soon as it had begun, and Joker's eyes were black when he lowered his head to regard Doctor Cleary. "Did you really think you'd come here - to _Arkham Asylum _\- and get inside _my_ head? Did you really think your experience with a fucking Neanderthal like John Wayne Gacy would give you a shoe-in with _me_?" His voice was gravelly, laced with the kind of snarl you'd expect from a feral, rabid animal about to strike.

Doctor Cleary stayed far away from the Joker at the other end of the room, trying to hide his panic. The anger had disappeared as soon as the Joker had begun laughing, sending chills down his spine and making his heart race. He felt sick to his stomach and clammy, sweat coating his hands, forehead, and his neck. The Joker's black eyes struck terror into his heart, and he wished he wasn't so far from the panic button at that moment.

"_You_," Joker growled, pinning Doctor Cleary with his murderous gaze, "_you _compared me to trash. Gacy and Gein? Two men that didn't even have two brain cells between them to rub together. Berkowitz? '_Son_ _of_ _Sam_'? 'The neighbor's dog and the devil made me do it?' _Bundy_? Bundy, who thought he was so clever that he dismissed his entire defense team and went on psychotic rants in the courtroom to try and maintain his 'innocence'. Bundy, who was stupid enough to have his little killing kit in plain sight instead of putting it in the fucking _trunk_." Joker lunged forward in his seat, his shackles snapping taut as he stretched them to their limits. The sounds the chains made caused Doctor Cleary to start hyperventilating, watching the chains as they struggled to hold Joker in his place on the chair.

"I told you these shackles would not stop me. Do you think this straitjacket will, Doc? Would you like to test it like you tested me? Let's play a game." A wicked grin stretched across Joker's white face, showing off his metal teeth. "Come here and see if you can press the panic button before I rip your throat right out with my teeth." He snapped his grills together for emphasis, cackling maniacally as the gesture caused Doctor Cleary to flinch violently where he stood. "I wonder how loud you'd have to scream to get the guards' attention."

Doctor Cleary was frozen to the spot where he stood, too terrified to move and too wrought with panic to speak. Joker relaxed back in his chair, not even blinking as he continued to stare at the man across the room, his eyes as black as ink. He nodded towards the door. "You're lucky that killing you isn't a part of my plan - _yet_."

His eyes slowly began to change back to their usual pale blue, the madness receding as he reminded himself that being thrown in solitary would take him away from Jester and ruin their breakout plan. She was his priority, he couldn't leave her alone or let her down. She needed him - especially if she was carrying.

"_Go_," he snarled.

Doctor Cleary didn't have to be told twice - he took his opportunity and ran for the door, thrusting it open and ignoring the confused looks the guards gave him as he tore past them and down the hall, running straight for the emergency exit.

The guards made their way into the room to find Joker whistling to himself, still in his straitjacket and shackled to his chair, calm as can be.

* * *

"Where is she?" Joker growled, scanning the Rec Room for Jester and not finding her anywhere.

"Maybe she's still in therapy," Scarecrow offered, trying to keep Joker from succumbing to the madness.

"Yeah, Mistah J, I'm sure she's probably just running late." Harley glanced at Joker out of the corner of her eye, noticing the way his eyes seemed to be going back and forth from blue to black.

"She doesn't speak to me all morning and now she isn't _here. _She's supposed to be _here." _

"She's afraid, Joker," Scarecrow whispered. "Give her some time. You said yourself that this _situation _would 'hit her like a ton of bricks' this morning. She needs some space."

"Afraid of what?" Joker quirked a brow at Scarecrow, his madness slipping away again. "You heard the conversation. She and I talked about this. What is there to be afraid of?"

"The _reality_ of the situation. She woke up alone this morning in her cold cot, in her cold cell, in Arkham Asylum." Catwoman reached out and lightly pat Joker's forearm.

Joker was quiet, replaying Catwoman's words over and over again in his mind. It made sense. He had expected her to be angry with him this morning. She _had_ said she didn't want children at all at the beginning of their conversation, and they ended up trying to create a child together - if they haven't already. If she wasn't angry, he hoped she'd be happy, bouncing around and dancing her way to the showers the way she always did in the mornings when she was feeling good. That was the preferable reaction - after all, he woke up this morning feeling scared and nervous, but happy. The one thing that kept him from killing Doctor Cleary and ending up in solitary was the thought of her and the child they might've created, not wanting to be away from her.

"She's not happy," Joker muttered, busying himself with the unicorn puzzle Jester still hadn't finished. She would start it and then get distracted, laughing and chatting with him and their friends and taunting the guards and orderlies, forgetting all about the puzzle by the end of Rec time.

"Joker," Poison Ivy scooted her chair closer to him, gazing at him until he met her eyes. "She can be both - scared _and _happy. Just give her some time to process this. This is a big deal for both of you. I'm sure it would be different if we weren't here - in Arkham. She has a lot to worry about in this place."

Joker snarled at that, his hands balling into fists on the table top. "I'd never let anything happen to her," he hissed, glaring at Poison Ivy. "_Never_."

"We know that," Harley interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. "And where you can't be, we will." She motioned to herself, Catwoman and Poison Ivy. "Like the showers and stuff, ya know? Red's just sayin' that Jestah's gotta be extra vigilant now, that's all."

"Exactly," Catwoman agreed. "It's just instinct."

Joker simply nodded, getting back to the puzzle and trying to keep his mind off of Jester's whereabouts. He'd give her some space, but not too much. She was insane if she thought she was going to sleep without him tonight.

* * *

Joker was not a patient man, not by any means, but he bit his tongue and reigned in his temper when Jester finally showed up at lunch. She sat down next to him at the table, still not speaking to any of them, and didn't move to get herself anything to eat. They all did their best to carry on as usual, as if nothing was wrong, knowing Jester would talk when she was good and ready - if any of them tried to force or coerce her, she'd shut down completely and alienate them.

Joker made sure to get extra food on his tray, deciding he'd force feed her if she refused to eat again. It was bad enough she refused to eat breakfast - he wasn't going to let her go all day like this. It hurt his heart sitting next to her, not being able to touch her or talk to her. She wouldn't look at him, she kept a small distance away from him, and she didn't even say hello to him when she first came to the table. She was staring across the room with her hands in her lap, her eyes glazed over and looking catatonic like she did the day they took her asshole brother in law.

"So, J, tell us what happened with Cleary." Joker's gaze landed on Scarecrow who was trying to break the tension at the table, a small smile creeping into his face at the thought of what Joker might have done to the old, seasoned Doctor.

Joker grinned, subtly pushing a peanut butter sandwich and some carrots away from him and towards Jester, careful not to look at her as he did. "Well," he tilted his head to the side, drumming his fingers along the table top, "for all the experience he has with clowns, he sure doesn't like 'em."

He gave them all a very enthusiastic play by play of the entire session, ending with the Doctor running like his ass was on fire from the therapy room and towards the exit. "I wouldn't count on him showing up for group therapy tomorrow," Joker laughed along with the rest of the group, drawing everyone's attention in the dining room.

"What are you all looking at?" He snapped, glaring around the room. Everyone immediately averted their eyes, not wanting to get the same treatment Anna had - or worse.

Jester hadn't laughed even once, and Joker was beginning to lose his patience. He couldn't stand the silent treatment, and he was furious that she was still refusing to eat. Ignoring the warning look Catwoman fixed him with, he nudged Jester with his elbow. _"Princess," _he tried his best to keep the growl out of his voice, "you need to eat."

She snapped out of her catatonic state and looked up at him, her face completely blank and void of any emotion. "I'm not hungry," she muttered, pushing his tray away from her.

He inhaled sharply, trying to reign in his temper. He felt the madness beginning to seep in again and reminded himself he didn't want to hurt her, especially not if she was carrying his child. "Jester," his voice was gravelly, much as it had been during his session with Doctor Cleary, "_please _try. For me."

"What you _really _mean to say is you want me to eat to feed the baby that might be inside me," she snapped, careful to keep her voice down so no one else heard. "_That's_ what you're worried about."

"Enough of this," He snapped, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her up out of her seat. "Walk."

He did his best not to drag her as he pulled her towards an empty table in a darker corner, sitting her down as gently as he could in a chair before sitting down next to her, turning her chair so she was facing him. "I'm not playing this game with you, Jester. We agreed that if you wanted to get rid of it, that's what we would do. I am worried about _you, _not just the baby - if there even is one. You didn't eat breakfast, you're not eating lunch, and I know why you're doing it. It's that self-loathing, self-sabotaging bullshit you do when you're upset and you shut down. I'm not going to allow you to starve yourself as punishment because you feel you made a poor decision or because you changed your mind about wanting a child with me."

"I _did _eat," she spat, glaring at him. "I had a muffin, and I had some coffee."

"When?" He raises his eyebrows at her, his eyes narrowing.

"In therapy."

"The Doctor brought you food?"

"I made him a deal when he pulled me aside after group therapy. For every day he brings me a banana nut muffin and a bold, light and sweet coffee, I'll answer 3 questions honestly." She crossed her arms, still glaring at him.

"Oh? And what questions did you answer today... for _two hours?"_

"Ask me what you really want to, J. You want to know if I fucked him, don't you? That's what you're thinking, isn't it?" She was losing her temper on him, causing his temper to flare as well.

"Listen to me, Jester, and listen well," he snarled, grabbing her by the hair and jerking her head closer to his, nose-to-nose with her. "That is _not _what I thought. I was worried about you, I didn't know where you were. Now you're telling me that after not speaking to me all morning and refusing to eat at breakfast, you talked _and_ ate with him for _two_ _hours!"_ He released her, noticing the looks they were getting from everyone in the room and wanting to keep attention _off _of them for once. "You won't speak to me, you won't look at me, you sit here like a fucking zombie and refuse to eat with us... but you talked to _him? _Did you tell him, Jester? Does he know?"

She bit her lip, looking away from him and leaning back in her seat to create some distance between them. "No," she whispered, staring at the wall.

"You're _lying _to me," Joker's rage surged and his eyes blackened again, the madness taking over once more. "_Go_. _Away_," he hissed, his voice cold and laced with venom.

Jester looked at him, her breath hitching in her throat when she noticed his eyes were pitch black. She quickly got up from her seat, leaving the dining hall and asking her guards to escort her back to her cell.

* * *

As soon as she was out of sight, he flipped the table he was sitting at and threw every single chair at it, including the one he had sat in, across the room. When the orderlies came to try and sedate him, he laughed, letting them approach. When one got close enough, he moved as fast as lightning, slipping his arms over the man's head and choking him with his shackles. The other orderlies backed off, not knowing what to do - they were all new here. They'd heard stories about the Joker and what he was capable of, but to see it in person was _terrifying. _He tightened his hold on the orderly he had in his grip, grinning wickedly at the others before he snapped the man's neck in an instant, the sickening sound of his bones snapping stopping all chatter and movement in the dining hall. He knew the guards were getting closer and he laughed, dropping the dead orderly and plowing his fist into the face of the closest guard. He cackled with glee at the sight of the blood flowing from the man's broken nose, taking all of his rage, pain, and frustration out on all of the staff in the room.

The alarms began blaring very quickly, the building going into lock down mode as more guards and orderlies rushed to the dining room to try and subdue the Joker. Harley, Catwoman, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy joined in, helping the Joker as he was swarmed by guards. He had one in his hands, gripping him by the scruff of his shirt, ready to throw him across the room when he heard her voice. He looked around, seeing Scarecrow holding a guard while Harley swung on the man, her fist connecting with his teeth and breaking them. Poison Ivy somehow had another guard wrapped up in her vines, strangling the man to death. Catwoman was standing over a guard she had just taken down with a sweep of her leg behind his knees, scowling down at him. He seemed too afraid to try and challenge her, his hands up in a show of surrender as he gasped for air, the wind knocked completely out of him.

"What the _fuck _are you doing?" Jester was back, her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.

"One second," he growled, tossing the guard in his hands into the wall across the room with little effort, grinning when he heard the man's cries of agony as he slumped to the floor. He sauntered over to her, shoving guards and orderlies out of his way as he moved, ignoring everything and everyone else in the room. His eyes were still black, he was still a slave to his madness, but he couldn't resist her.

"I'm having some fun of my own," he whispered as he reached her, looming over her.

She met his gaze and he felt a jolt of excitement shoot down his spine as he noticed the darkness in her eyes. He wanted her to succumb to her darkness. The madness in him wanted to punish her, to hurt her for the hurt she caused him. He wanted to feel her suffocate in his grip, wanted to watch the light leave her pretty eyes as he strangled her. She betrayed him - she abandoned him for the young Doctor.

"Fun? Looks like a tantrum to me," she was goading him, and he laughed.

"You gonna run and tell that to your little boyfriend? Maybe you can discuss it in your session tomorrow while you eat your fucking breakfast together." His hand shot out and gripped her throat tightly, licking his lips when bruises started forming on her pale skin. "Maybe I'll kill you before you get to see him again."

"So jealous," she rasped, grinning at him. "All because I didn't spend one hour with you out of the entire day."

"You. Are. _Mine," _he shouted_, _wrapping his other hand around her throat.

"You're the one who told me to get close to him. What was it you said? Oh, right... you wanted me to have him _panting_ for me like a dog in heat." She was still grinning at him, no hint of fear in her dark eyes. "Took me only 3 days."

"I told you to wrap him around your finger because we'd need him. I told you _not _to fuck him!"

"And I didn't," she spat, glaring at him. "Get your fucking hands off me, clown!"

"Oh? Back to that, are we?" He grinned at her, loosening his grip on her throat only slightly as he leaned forward, bringing his lips close to her ear. "You can call me whatever you want, baby," he growled. "But we both know there's a very, very high chance you'll be calling me 'Daddy' in less than 9 months."

She slapped him as hard as she could, not even flinching at the feral noise that ripped from his throat. He shoved her away from him, running a hand down his face to try and calm himself before he killed her. He barely registered Scarecrow, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Harley's shouts and pleas for him and Jester to stop. They were approaching quickly, putting themselves in between both clowns and trying to stop the fight. Joker wasn't hearing them, he wasn't hearing or seeing anyone or anything but Jester. He didn't know who it was, but someone got in his way as he stalked towards Jester and he knocked them over, stepping over them and grabbing Jester by her hair. He felt strands ripping out as he dragged her along the floor and into the hallway, knowing exactly where he was bringing her - to the medical ward. He was going to fry her brains so bad that what he did to Harley would look like child's play in comparison.

"Motherfucker!" Jester was screaming, scratching at his arm like a wildcat, writhing on the floor as he dragged her. "I'm going to fucking kill you, I swear to god! I'm going to fucking _gut you!" _

"You can try," he taunted, releasing her without warning and laughing as her head hit the floor. He crouched down, draping his arms over his knees as he looked into her furious face. "You betrayed me, songbird."

"I didn't," she hissed, getting up on her knees. Angry tears welled up in her eyes and he noticed they were aqua green again. "I hate you."

"Heard it before, baby. Doesn't hurt. Now," he licked his lips, bringing his face closer to hers. "I'll give you two options. You can walk like a good girl, or I can fucking drag you."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," she countered, the tears she was holding back finally escaping. "As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather die than go anywhere with you right now."

"I can arrange that," he spat, fisting her hair in his hand again. "Looks like I'll be dragging you."

He went to stand but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her look down and wrap her arms protectively around her stomach. In an instant, the madness slipped away and he was back to his normal self. He looked around the hallway, noticing the alarms blaring, the red flashing lights, the terrified looks on the orderlies and guards faces as they lined the walls, keeping a distance from him. He noticed Doctor Leland watching from the end of the hall, a curious look on her face. She was holding the other guards at bay, not making a single move to stop the riot happening in the dining room and the two clowns fighting in the corridor.

"Fuck," he hissed, picking Jester up and carrying her bridal style as he took off with her down an empty hallway, knowing the building better than any faculty. He moved quickly and quietly, careful to make as little noise as possible with his shackles on, and only calmed down once he reached his destination - the abandoned, forgotten old medical ward. He picked a random room towards the end of the hall, ducking inside and laying Jester down on the cold, rusty metal table before barricading the door shut with a heavy oak desk.

* * *

He was afraid to look at her, knowing he must've hurt her while he was on his rampage. He didn't know what to say or do, so he sat down in a chair in the corner, staring at the floor.

She was up in an instant, charging at him in her rage and unleashing on him. He took it, letting her punch, kick, scratch, and slap him. He let her shove him out of his chair and onto the floor, not doing a single thing to protect himself or deflect her blows as she violently kicked him in the ribs, unable to take his eyes off of hers as tears flowed from them. He let her do what she wanted to - what she _needed _to.

She picked him up by his shirt and slammed him against a wall. "LOOK AT ME!" She screamed, her voice broken and thick with emotion. He did as she bade, meeting her eyes with his once again blue ones.

"I _never_ fucking betrayed you! Never! I did it to help you, to help _us! _Yes, he knows, but not because I said anything. He figured it out. He wants to help. I _attacked_ him, J! I threatened him." She was sobbing, and he wasn't sure if it was out of rage or pain at this point. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks were stained with tears and wet from the fresh ones that kept coming, and her bottom lip was quivering.

"He's going to help us get out, J. He agreed. We made a deal."

"Okay." That's all he said. He didn't want to fight, he didn't want to upset her any further, and he didn't want her to cry anymore.

"When we get out, J," her voice was quiet now, her expression completely serious, "I'm leaving you."

"Okay," he said again, still looking into her eyes. He felt pain in his chest and swore it was from the splintering he felt in his heart at her words. He had never felt pain like it before, not even in all the times he'd fought Batman. He felt sick, slumping down the wall to the floor, running his hands through his hair. He felt his eyes beginning to burn, tears gathering in them. He fought them back, refusing to cry, and stayed quiet. He didn't dare look at her.

"If I'm pregnant, I'm getting rid of it, and I don't want you there." She turned and walked away from him towards the door, trying to move the desk and struggling. He didn't move to help her, not wanting her to leave, and covered his face with his hands.

"Jester," he whispered. Her movements stopped and he sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry for it. I'm sorry for everything."

"You're always sorry," she said coldly, resuming her efforts to move the desk. "It doesn't mean shit to me."

"Would you let me keep it?"

Her movements stopped again, and he still wouldn't look at her. "What?" Her voice was quiet.

"Even if you don't want it, would you let me keep it?"

"What the fuck would you do with a baby? Look what you've done to _me."_

"If I'm going to lose you, I want a part of you with me." He finally looked up at her and she frowned, seeing the wetness in his eyes and on his cheeks. "I'm just hoping you'd consider letting me keep it if you don't want it." In a flash, he was in front of her, cupping her face in his hands. He grimaced when he saw the bruises on her throat, leaning down and pressing soft kisses to them.

She allowed it, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. "You fucking hurt me," she sobbed. "You dragged me. You ripped my hair out. You dropped me to the floor and I hit my head. You were going to kill me."

He pulled her into his arms, cupping the back of her head and pulling her close to his chest. He was crying now, _really _crying, his tears soaking her hair. "I don't have words," he whispered, clutching her tightly. "There aren't any."

"You were going to kill me... _us."_ His heart shattered at the implication and he carefully lowered them to the floor, cradling her in his lap.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, rocking them back and forth. "I'm so, so sorry."

"This is what I meant, J. We'll kill the kid by accident. You would've killed me today without realizing what you were doing until it was too late."

"I couldn't," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I saw you wrapping your arms around your belly and I snapped back. I _couldn't._"

"_That's_ what stopped you?" She peered up at him, her own heart breaking when she saw the heartache and pain in his wet eyes, tears steaming down his handsome, pale face and soaking his Arkham shirt.

"Yeah," he muttered, avoiding her eyes. "I just... I didn't even think about it, I was just back."

She shocked the hell out of him, pushing him backwards on the floor and crawling on top of him, capturing his lips with hers in a searing kiss. He didn't say a word, kissing her back and wrapping his arms as tight as he could around her, gingerly stroking the back of her head to try and soothe the pain he caused her.

"Do it," she gasped, breaking the kiss to catch her breath. She gave him a pleading look, silently begging him, but he didn't know what for.

"I'm not following," he whispered, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Your offer. Do it."

His eyes widened in shock. "You told me you hate me, you're leaving me, and if you're pregnant you're getting rid of it just two minutes ago..."

"Before I change my mind!" She snapped, yanking her shirt and pants off in a hurry. She tore open his shirt, ripping the pieces that remained off his arms and when she grabbed the waistband of his pants, he stopped her. He gently took her wrists in one hand and used the other to tilt her chin so she was looking at him.

"No." He was firm about it, his eyes as hard as his expression.

"What?" She struggled to get her wrists free but he tightened his grip.

"I will not do it if you're going to shut down on me again tomorrow. I'm not doing this with you if you're going to hate me every day for it." He let go of her wrists and cupped her face in his hands. "You hurt me, Jester. I was miserable all morning, wondering what the fuck I did wrong, or if I forced you and didn't realize it. You shut me out and you _hurt_ me."

"I'm scared, J." She pressed her forehead against his and he felt her tears on his face. "I woke up alone and it scared me. I knew you were across from me, I knew you were there, but I was cold and _alone_. It scared me because it reminded me that every single day is a risk - a risk of one or both of us being caught and shipped back here. I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be without you."

"Do you really think you'd ever be without me? I'd never leave you alone, I promised you that. How many times do I have to tell you? I _love _you. I'll _always _be with you, right by your side. I'm not going anywhere." He chuckled, looking into her eyes and stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "Baby, I've survived explosions, crashes, drowning, gunshot wounds, stabbings, and tons of other things meant to kill me. I've been alive for more decades than you want to know... _believe_ _me_. I'm not going anywhere. Even if i end up back in here without you, you know I'll get out. Hell, you'd probably be the one to break me out."

She smiled a little and it caused a grin to break out across his face. "We're really, really fucked up," she murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips.

"We are," he agreed. "It's gonna be an awkward shit show when we get back to the others."

"They saw everything..." she looked regretful for a moment and he winced.

"Well it's nothing they haven't seen from me before." He sighed. "Scaredy-crow and the broads are gonna skin me alive, I bet."

"They _did _see you choke and drag me," Jester admitted, scowling.

"So when we go back, you do what you've gotta do to me, you understand?" He pressed a kiss to her lips, biting her bottom one and rolling his hips against hers. "I don't care what you do to me, I'll take it. You deserve your public comeuppance."

"This is really fucked up," Jester chuckled despite the seriousness of the topic at hand and the events in the dining room.

"Take it out on me here, then," Joker whispered, gently tipping her head back and dragging his tongue up the column of her throat. "I promise I'll enjoy it."

Without another word, she leaned down and sank her teeth into the side of his throat where his playing cards tattoo was, drawing blood. "Oh, just like that," he growled, gripping her hips in his hands. He was a little surprised when he felt her tongue on the wound, lapping up all the blood that leaked from it. It turned him on and he couldn't resist, he bit her as hard as he could on the side of her throat that was bare, causing her to scream. "Again," she panted, sucking at the wound she made on his throat.

"Fuck," he groaned, biting her once more, just an inch lower. He lapped at the blood that came from both wounds, gripping her hair gently and licking her lips. He moaned when she opened up for him, the metallic taste of their blood in his mouth driving him wild. "You're so _good," _he cooed, yanking his pants and boxers off.

"Please, J," she whispered, sucking on his bottom lip.

"_Say it,"_ he snarled, flipping them over so she was on her back. "I want to hear it from your pretty little mouth."

"Please, J... I - I want a baby." She bit her lip, the words making her extremely emotional for some reason. She felt tears prick at her eyes and swallowed hard, threading her fingers through his hair.

"You want a baby?" He purred, teasing her by rubbing himself against her slick folds. "You sure?"

She nodded, wrapping her arms around him. "Yes!"

"You want _my _baby?" He slowly began entering her inch by inch, groaning at the feel of her clamping down on him.

"Yes, J, I do," she begged, rolling her hips against his.

"Don't be a bitch tomorrow, then," he growled, deliberately pissing her off. He picked her up, making sure to stay buried inside her, and sat her on top of the desk. "Lay down," He snapped, glaring at her.

"No," she smirked at him, her eyes dancing with mischief and desire.

"_Bitch," _he growled, pulling out of her. He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her up off the desk, turning her around and roughly shoving her down by the nape of her neck. Her ass was in the air, feet planted firmly on the floor and he grinned. "Do you want me?" He purred, leaning over her and pressing his lips to her ear. He felt her shiver against him and laughed, running a hand up her spine.

"Yes," she breathed, arching her ass closer to him.

"Answer me correctly!"

"Yes, Mister J, I want you!" She wiggled her ass, trying to entice him, and he obliged her.

"Spread your legs, you little minx," he commanded. She did as she was told, spreading her legs as far apart as she could for him. He slammed into her, filling her up and stretching her, thrusting hard and fast in and out of her without mercy.

She was screaming and moaning loudly, her voice breaking every now and then. "That's right," he growled. "Scream for me, you little _slut_."

"Fuck!" She moaned, gripping the desk as hard as she could in her hands. "Harder, J!"

"You want it to hurt, do ya?" He pulled out of her, raking his nails down her back and drawing blood.

"Yes!" She shouted, turning to face him. "I need it."

"Oh, that's my girl," he circled her slowly, letting that lovely half-purr, half-growl rumble out of his throat as he did, making her bite her lip and shiver in anticipation. "You like that?" He asked, making the sound again as he stopped behind her.

She nodded, her breath hitching when she felt his hand slide down her belly and down to her mound, stroking her clit with his thumb. He pressed himself right up against her and she felt the vibration in his chest as he made that noise she loved so much. "Oh, J," she whispered, letting her head fall back against his shoulder.

"If you want me to fuck you, you're gonna have to make me," he whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine. "_Show_ me how bad you want to have a baby with me. _Earn_ it."

She snarled, whipping around to face him and roughly pushing him towards the corner he sat in before. She shoved him into the chair, a fire in her eyes that he hadn't seen in awhile. "Come and get it," he purred, grinning at her.

She sat on top of him, slipping her legs over the arms of the chair and impaling herself on his stiff cock, gripping his shoulders and digging her nails into his skin as she fucked him. She let her head loll back, raking her nails down the flesh of his shoulders and his arms, drawing blood as she went.

"Good girl," she heard him say, moaning when he removed her bra and bit one of her hard nipples. He swirled his tongue around it to soothe the sting, sucking it into his mouth and pinching and rolling the other.

She felt him start pumping into her, taking control as she bounced in his lap and she grinned. "I think you want it just as bad," she said huskily, locking eyes with him.

"Oh, I do," he smirked at her and grabbed her hand, placing it around his throat. "Hard," he commanded, throwing his head back in rapture when she did as he bade and choked him as hard as she could. It turned her on, _really _turned her on and she grinned wickedly, shoving hard at his chest and sending them both crashing to the floor.

"Oh, yes!" He shouted gleefully, gripping her by her hair and pinning her underneath him. "Come on, baby, take it out on me!"

She used both hands this time, choking him as hard as she could and meeting his thrusts with her own, slamming her hips into his as hard as she could. He felt her tightening around him and laughed, his laughter raspy and husky. "Cum for me, you fucking hellcat," he snarled, glaring down at her. "_Now._"

She shattered instantly, screaming his name and pulling his hair as hard as she could. He didn't let up, fucking her even harder against the cold stone floor, a wild look in his blue eyes. "That's right, you do as I say."

"Keep it up and I'll make you cum again like I did that one time," she threatened, smirking at him.

"Oh, baby, you can _try." _He was challenging her and she accepted, pushing him as hard as she could until he fell back. She wasted no time climbing on top of him, turning her back to him and lowering herself on him. She moaned as he filled her up at this angle, lowering herself carefully until her elbows were on the floor and she had her cheek against the cold stone. She began bouncing her ass on him, changing her speed constantly to torture him.

"_Fuck_ _me_," he demanded, tearing the flesh of her back once more with his nails. She was going painfully slow, and any time he tried to take control she lifted herself off of him and refused to let him back inside her.

"Beg me," She retorted, looking over her shoulder at him.

"I don't beg, Princess," he snarled, sitting up on his knees and laughing wickedly at the shocked look on her face as she realized what was happening. He lifted her hips and impaled her, holding her down by the back of her neck as he roughly fucked her, groaning at the blood and wounds marring her back.

"Baby..." She was writhing under him, her knees slipping until her legs gave out and she was laying flat on her belly on the floor. "Baby, I'm gonna cum," she cried, spreading her legs for him.

"Do it," He panted, kneading her ass in one hand and choking her with the other. "Cum again for me."

She did, her pussy contracting around him and almost forcing him to cum, too. He bit his bottom lip and fought it down, refusing to finish just yet.

"Baby, please!" She begged, scratching the wall in front of her. "I need it!"

"You need what?" He tortured her by pulling out of her, keeping the head of his cock right at her entrance. "Careful - if you don't say it _just_ _right_, you won't get anything."

"I need you to fill me up, Mister J. I need you to cum inside me... _please_." She was looking over her shoulder at him, her eyes pleading.

"Oh baby, anything for you." He leaned down and kissed his way down her back, slowly slipping back inside her. "You're so _wet_."

"Only for you," she moaned, arching her back to press her ass up against him.

"Good girl, do it again. Fuck me, Princess. Work for it!" He threw his head back as she met him thrust for thrust, and he knew he wouldn't last much longer.

She felt him beginning to twitch and swell inside her and she grinned, grinding her ass hard against him. "Give it to me," she growled, reaching behind her and raking her nails down the flesh of his chest and abs. "Fill me up, '_Daddy.__'"_

"Oh, you naughty, naughty girl!" He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up, holding her body flush against his as he pumped in and out of her. "Say it again," he whispered, pinching her nipples as hard as he could and delighting in the sounds of her screams.

"Fill my pussy up, Daddy!" She screamed, another orgasm ripping through her. He choked her as he found his release, spilling himself as deep as he possibly could inside her and forcing her back down so nothing would leak from her.

"Don't move until I tell you to," He snapped, slowly pulling out of her. "Wouldn't want you to lose any _chances."_

She smiled when she felt him pressing soft kisses up her back, starting at the base of her spine. He slid his right hand underneath her, stroking the soft skin of her belly and brushed her hair aside with his free hand, planting a soft kiss to the side of her throat. "Don't you ever leave me," he whispered, stilling his hand and keeping it pressed gently against her belly. "Don't take this from me."

He carefully pulled her into his lap, keeping her legs up and bent back so nothing would leak on him. She laughed, threading her fingers through his hair. "You know, baby, I'm sure we've made one. You don't have to incubate me."

"Shhhh," he grinned at her, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Can't waste precious resources."

"I wanna go home," Jester whispered, burying her head in his chest, ignoring the blood that smeared across her cheek as she did. "I wanna go home, I wanna see the babies and Tommy and Johnny, I wanna relax in a bubble bath with you, I wanna eat _real _food and have _good _coffee. I wanna sleep in _our _bed... _with_ you."

"Make the call tonight, baby. I'm definitely getting thrown in solitary." He pulled the key to his cell from his pocket and handed it to her. "Keep this safe. They're probably going to interrogate the living hell out of us once we come back around."

"I thought you wanted to take over..." she looked up at him and her eyebrows furrowed together. "Take over Arkham, lure Batman in, kill everyone and trap him?"

"Not anymore. Not since this baby talk started. You're my priority, you always will be. The others are on board too." He pulled her chin up and kissed her, soft and slow, stroking her cheek and her jaw with his fingers. They stayed like that for awhile, content just to be with each other, and thrilled that no one had found them yet.

"I don't want to go back," Jester sighed, pulling her pants and shirt back on. "I really, really don't."

Joker looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know... they don't know where we are. There aren't any cameras in this ward anymore, and no one comes this way. If - and this is a big _if - _we can stay here without being caught, maybe we'll just sneak out later and round up Tommy, Johnny, and the others and get our pals out."

Jester grinned, so excited she was bouncing up and down. "Promise?!" She was squealing, thrilled at the idea of getting out and being free again.

"I promise."

* * *

Joker was still on the floor, cradling Jester in his lap as she slept, fighting off his own exhaustion just in case anyone _did _find them. He thought back to the look on Doctor Leland's face, not liking the curiosity he saw there and the fact that she didn't intervene or allow any other guards to. She was up to something and he knew it - he just couldn't figure out what. It wouldn't matter after tonight - he'd make sure she didn't see the light of tomorrow. As for Jester's pretty boy Doctor, he wasn't quite sure what to do with him just yet. He wanted very badly to kill the prick, furious that he was so interested in Jester and was supplying her with food and coffee in exchange for information. He didn't care that the man was apparently trying to help, he didn't care that the only reason Jester ate today was because the doctor had brought her food - he wouldn't allow the man to get any closer to Jester, let alone have any further contact with her, when it was highly likely that she was pregnant with his child.

Sure, he wanted Jester to seduce her doctor so they could use him when it came time to break out, and didn't mind the idea of her flirting with the man and wrapping him around her finger - but if she was _pregnant? _He didn't want the doctor anywhere near her if that was the case. He was already livid enough that the Doctor knew about the possibility of her being pregnant - yes, Doctor Brian Mills would have to die tonight. Joker couldn't risk anyone finding out about Jester's condition - she'd be an even bigger target than usual, and he'd light the entire planet on fire if any harm came to her or their unborn.

He looked down into her sleeping face and noticed how quickly the bruises on her throat had already healed. He was happy to see that - it seemed she not only gained the same immunity he had to toxins, chemicals, and poisons, but she was also pretty immune to pain and healed quite fast, just like him. Hopefully that would help her with her pregnancy somehow, and especially with childbirth. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, wrapping his arms tighter around her and lightly stroking the skin of her belly. He couldn't believe how much he _wanted _a baby with her at this point. Not even 24 hours ago they were both terrified of being parents, discussing all the risks and how badly they could hurt or fuck their child up mentally and physically, yet here he was - hoping she was carrying his child and already stepping into the role of a protective father. "God, I love you," he whispered to her sleeping form, lifting her shirt up so he could look at her toned tummy. He rested his hand on it, the goofy grin tattooed on it looking a little comical where it rested just under her belly button. "There better be a little baby in here," he whispered, leaning down and pressing his lips to her flesh. "And if there is, you better not inherit Daddy's temper."

"Are you talking to my stomach, or am I still dreaming?" Jester's groggy voice snapped him out of his moment and he grinned at her. "Is that so strange?" He asked, keeping his hand on her belly. "Don't fathers talk to their children while they're still in the womb?"

"Some do," she buried her head in his chest, wrapping one arm around his neck and resting the other at her side, putting her hand over his. "Never pegged you for the type to do that."

"I'm not," he agreed, looking down into her eyes. "However, I'm a different man with you. _Everything_ is different with you."

"Do you really want this?" She asked, squeezing the hand that rested on her belly.

Joker chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "More than anything, my little bird. I can't explain it, I just know that I want this. I want to create a life with you and watch it grow. I want to raise it to be a better person than I turned out to be."

"You're not as terrible as they make you out to be - as you make _yourself_ out to be." She cupped his face in her hands and looked hard into his blue eyes, a determined look on her face. "You're a good man, J. You just don't act on it."

"I'm only good when I'm with you - and even then, it's not all the time."

"Today was bad," she sighed. "But it's my fault. I goaded you. I poked the bear."

"I was irrational and impatient. I should have talked to you instead of being a jackass."

"And I was a bitch. All I had to do was talk to _you." _

"It's on both of us, baby. Just promise me this - next time, talk to me instead of shutting me out, and I promise I'll talk to you before losing my temper." Joker smiled at her, stroking her hair.

Jester nodded. "You got it, handsome."

"When lights out happens, we're sneaking out the exit door around the corner. We're gonna have to go on foot for awhile, it's not gonna be easy."

"We should call Tommy and Johnny - it's too risky to walk outta here like that," Jester looked nervous at the idea of walking out of Arkham and off the island without any of the guards noticing.

"You did that last time," Joker countered. "Disappeared into the woods and you were gone."

"I had _you _as a distraction for the cops," she chuckled. "If they were chasing you, they weren't looking for me."

Joker rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. How could I forget?"

"That reminds me - we'll need a distraction for the bat when we come back for the others." Jester looked thoughtful, tapping her chin and looking around the room as she tossed ideas around in her head.

"That's easy. We're going to have the boys blow up half the city, and we're going to let out every single Rogue in here. Batsy and Bird Brain can't catch _all_ of us." Joker grinned wickedly at Jester, laughing with her as they waited for lights out.

"We will check the other rooms for a working phone, see if we can get in touch with the boys. If not, we go on foot and stick to the shadows. We'll figure it out. So rest up while you still can, gorgeous. It's gonna be a _long _night."

"What If I don't want to rest?" Jester whispered, nipping and licking at his pulse point.

"Oh, baby," he growled, capturing her lips with his own. He slid his hand in between her legs and teasingly rubbed circles against her exposed clit, swallowing her moans. It didn't take long before she was soaking wet for him, writhing in his grip. He picked her up in his arms, not breaking their kiss as he carried her to the desk, laying her down on it so her legs dangled over the edge.

"I want to taste you," he purred, sinking to his knees before her and spreading her legs as far apart as they would go. He looked up at her, his smoldering gaze sending chills down her spine. He spread her open with his thumbs, lapping at her slick center and growling when she moaned for him, sitting up and gripping his hair in her fists. "So sweet," he whispered, sucking her clit into his mouth and circling it with the tip of his tongue. She was panting, moaning his name and her legs were quivering as he worked her with his mouth, bringing her closer and closer to the edge. "Baby," she gasped, jerking as he thrust his tongue inside her and fucked her with it, "I'm going to cum!"

"Not until I say so," he growled, looking up at her and licking his lips. He held her gaze, thrusting two fingers inside of her and curling them, pumping them in and out of her slowly. "If you cum before I tell you to, I'll punish you."

"J, please," she begged, pulling his hair as hard as she could. She was so close, her legs shaking as she tried to fight off her orgasm. "_Please!" _

"Who does this pussy belong to, Princess?" He purred, pinching her clit between his thumb and pointer finger. She yelped, jerking again on the desk and biting her bottom lip. "Tell me," he snarled, inserting a third finger.

"You, J. My pussy belongs to you," she moaned, rocking her hips back and forth against his hand.

"Wrong name, baby," he scolded, plunging his fingers as deep inside her as he could, biting down on her clit. She gasped, the pain coupled with the pleasure she was feeling pushing her to the edge again.

"My pussy belongs to you, Daddy," she cried, collapsing back onto the desk and trapping him between her thighs.

"Good girl," he growled, working his fingers faster inside of her and sucking her clit back into his mouth. He sucked hard, slamming his fingers deep inside her and stroking her most sensitive spot, grinning against her wet folds as she screamed on the desk. "Cum for me, Jester," he commanded, flicking his tongue against her clit. She came undone immediately, her body seizing up and going rigid as her climax ripped through her. He lapped up every single drop of her essence and rose to his feet, smearing his fingertips across her lips. "Open up."

Without hesitation, she opened her mouth and sucked on his fingers, looking into his eyes as she tasted herself. His mouth was hanging slightly open, his crimson lips shining in the moonlight from the windows as he watched her. "Oh, you're such a good girl, Jester," he cooed, leaning down and pressing soft kisses to every inch of skin he could reach. He pulled his fingers from her mouth and fisted her hair in his hand, pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss.

She bucked her hips up against him, wrapping her legs around his waist and groaning in his mouth. "No, baby," he whispered, pulling her legs apart and stepping out of her reach. "We'll have time for that later. Right now, we need to get dressed and go."

"Please, J," she whispered, pouting at him. "I need you."

He growled, rolling his head around to crack his neck and rested his hands on her thighs. "Jester... we need to _go_."

Her bottom lip quivered and she had a pitiful, pleading look in her eyes as she stared up at him, spreading her legs wide open and gripping the sides of the desks in her hands. "_God," _he groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"Really quick," he warned her, slowly entering her until he was buried to the hilt inside her. She grinned at him, pulling him closer to her and tangling her hands in his hair. "I love you," she whispered in his ear, trailing kisses up and down his throat.

"I love _you," _he whispered back, cupping her face in his hands as he slowly pumped in and out of her. Their eyes didn't leave each others' even once as he made quick, sweet love to her on the desk, kissing her all over and whispering sweet nothings in her ear. All too soon he felt his release building up, leaning down to kiss her as he rubbed slow circles on her clit. "Shatter for me, Princess," he cooed, using his free hand to cup her face and stroke her jawline. "Take what you want from me."

She felt him twitch inside her and she shattered once more, her muscles clamping down on him and milking him as he spilled himself deep inside her, both of them moaning each others' names. Joker carefully slipped out of her, making quick work of gathering their clothes and dressing her before he dressed himself. Once they were clothed and had their shoes on, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, slipping a hand up her shirt and pressing it against her belly. She giggled, the touch tickling her a little, and he grinned at her. He dropped to his knees once more, looking her in the eye as he rolled her shirt up and pressed several kisses to her belly. "If we hadn't created one before, I'm sure we have now," he whispered.

Jester bit her lip and nodded, overwhelmed by the sudden burst of emotions that rocked her. Happiness, longing, love, and excitement ran through her and made her tingle, a wide grin spreading across her pretty face.

"Are you happy?" Joker whispered, coming back up and neatly rolling her shirt back down, smoothing out the wrinkles in it.

"I am now," she murmured, pulling him close to her and hugging him tight. "Thank you."

Joker chuckled, wrapping his arms tight around her and burying his face in her hair. "No need to thank me, my little bird. Now let's get the hell out of here. Stick with me and do not let go of my hand no matter what, alright?" He pulled away from her and grinned when he saw the look of pure adoration and joy on her face. "Come on, baby."

She took his hand and they quietly moved the desk out of the way, creeping out into the abandoned corridor and slowly making their way down the hall. Jester held his hand tightly in hers, looking around at all the abandoned medical rooms and stopping short when her eyes landed on one containing the same kind of chair with stirrups they always had at the gyno's office. "Wait," she whispered, tugging at his hand and making her way into the room. She carefully went through each drawer and cabinet, searching the best she could in the dark and praying she'd find what she believed should be here.

"What are you doing?" Joker whispered, clocking her every move as she made her way around the room and ransacked it.

He got his answer when she opened the last cabinet and did her excited dance - the one where she wiggled her hips and waved her arms around. He noticed she had several boxes in her hands, a wide grin spreading across her face as she danced her way over to him. "I needed these." She held out her hands and he chuckled, taking in the 6 different pregnancy tests she had.

"So clever," he cooed, pinching her cheek. He grabbed a ziplock bag from the counter and shoved the tests inside it, closing it tightly before handing it back to her. He giggled as she shoved it down her pants, tucking it into the waistband of her panties.

"What?" She whispered, throwing her arms up. "I'll lose 'em otherwise!"

"You are adorable," he purred, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room. They made their way down the corridor without incident, not seeing any phones in any of the rooms as they went. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, and turned them around. "We'll just take a car," he mumbled, pulling her gently back down the corridor towards the exit. "Once we're outside, we gotta move quick, baby."

Jester giggled in excitement, picking up the pace as she followed him. Once they reached the exit door, Joker kicked it open and they both took off at a dead run, not letting go of each other's hands as they darted towards the parking lot. Luckily security was still lacking at night, allowing them to reach the lot without being noticed or chased. Joker grinned, picking a black Range Rover and quickly shattering the window. He was thankful the car had no alarm as he reached his arm inside and unlocked it before making his way over to the passenger side and helping Jester in. "Time to go," he laughed, quickly sprinting back to the drivers seat and ripping out the panel that hid the wires he'd need to tweak to Hotwire the car. Within a minute or two the Range Rover roared to life, the two clowns cackling as he tore out of the parking lot and down the hill towards the gate. "Buckle up and hold on, Princess," he took his eyes off the road for a moment to make sure Jester was doing as he said. "Here we go."

He crashed through the gate, the fat security guard jumping back as the impact caused the gate to slam against the security booth, laughing as he tore through Gotham and towards the mansion they'd been staying in for those two weeks before Jester and the others were taken. Luckily, they didn't run into the Bat, GCPD, or any other obstacles on their way through and out of the city, making it safely to the mansion.

* * *

"Boss!" Johnny was floored as he watched Joker and Jester casually stroll into the kitchen through the door that led to the garage. He was only at the mansion to take care of the plants and to stock the kitchen with groceries. Tommy was upstairs in the master bedroom feeding Karma and Hades before he'd let them out for their last nightly potty break.

"Daddy's home," Joker crowed, slinging his arm around Jester.

"Hiya Johnny!" Jester made her way to him and hugged him tight, happy to see him again. "Where's Tommy?"

"Right here." Tommy's voice came from the hallway to her right and she squealed as Karma and Hades barreled into her, knocking her off her feet and to the floor. She landed hard, but not hard enough to hurt, and giggled as both dogs kissed her and whined at her, tickling her face with their whiskers.

"HEY!" Joker shouted, snapping his fingers and ceasing the movements of both dogs. They sat down immediately, their heads lowered as they looked up at him. "Easy!" He scolded, glaring at both dogs before helping Jester up off the floor. The bag of pregnancy tests she had tucked into her panties must've come loose with the dogs' loving assault, falling to the ground as Joker moved her.

Everyone's eyes landed on the bag, Tommy's going wide as saucers as he realized exactly what he was staring at.

"Jester..." he began, his eyes glued to the pregnancy tests. "Are you...?"

"I don't know yet. That's what those are for." Jester's response was nonchalant. She grinned at her cousin when he finally looked up at her and she giggled when she noticed the gigantic grin stretching across Johnny's face.

"This is not public knowledge," Joker growled, eyeing both men harshly. "Not a single fucking word, you got it?"

Both men nodded. Tommy swept Jester into his arms and hugged her tight, rocking her a little as he held her. "My little cousin," he murmured into her hair. "Pregnant."

"We don't know yet Tommy. It's probably too soon to tell." Jester grinned against Tommy's abdomen, taking in his natural musk paired with his cologne. It was comforting - it always had been ever since she was a small child. He was the only cousin out of her 6 first cousins that ever hung out with her and was nice to her. They were the best of friends when she was a kid.

"I missed ya," Jester mumbled, squeezing Tommy as hard as she could.

"We've got to go back for the others," Joker sighed, sitting down on one of the stools at the kitchen island. He looked down at the dogs and frowned. "I'm sorry, babies. You just gotta be careful with your mama, she might have a little clown baby inside of her." He reached his hands down and they came to him happily, wagging their nub tails as he pet them and scratched their butts.

"Same plan as before?" Johnny asked, still grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Yeah, Johnny. Same plan. Let Jester and I clean up and get changed. We'll meet you both back here in the kitchen."

"You got it, boss," Johnny confirmed, opening the slider door to the backyard for the dogs. "Come on babies, outside!"

Karma and Hades made a mad dash for the door, darting outside into the backyard and running like hell after each other, excited that their favorite person was back home.

"We'll talk about everything later," Jester said, finally pulling away from Tommy. He leaned down and grabbed the bag off of the floor, handing it to her with a small smile.

"Sounds good to me," he said. "After all, you never wanted kids last time I checked." He ruffled her hair and made his way past her, nodding at Joker before making his way into the backyard to watch the dogs.

"Is it too soon to take one?" Jester whispered, clutching the bag tightly in one hand and Joker's hand in the other as they made their way up the grand staircase to the fourth floor where the master bedroom was.

"I believe it is," Joker said, pulling her gently through their bedroom and into the bathroom. True to his word, it was exactly the same as the one above the club, just much bigger. This bathroom also had two vanities instead of one, and two sinks. She loved this mansion, just like Joker said she would - much more than she liked the club and the apartment above it. She definitely never wanted to go back.

She pouted, her bottom lip jutting out as she made her way to the Jacuzzi tub and prepared a bath with lavender Epsom salts and lavender bubble bath. She slowly stripped out of her Arkham uniform, happy to be free of it and able to wear her own clothes again.

"This one says 'First Response,'" Joker was examining the tests at his vanity, pulling one out of the bag and showing it to her. "Some of these say they can tell sooner than usual. I'll buy you as many as you want or need, baby. I'm not gonna stop you from taking some now if it makes you happy."

"Really?" She was grinning, bouncing up and down where she stood.

"Really," he nodded, smiling at her. "Do your thing and let me know when I can come back in."

He pressed a quick kiss to her temple before exiting the bathroom, making his way into the bedroom and picking out clothes for them both to wear for the Arkham breakout tonight.

* * *

Joker stood behind Jester, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders as they both stared at the three tests she had set out on her vanity. She had called him back into the bathroom, ready to look at the results, and he had come in quickly with their clothes, setting them down neatly on the rolling cart before coming to stand behind her.

"This means..."

"Are you _sure_?" Joker was staring at the tests, trying to decipher what the lines and other symbols meant. He grabbed the pamphlets for them, scanning through the instructions.

"J... it could be wrong. I mean, it's only been what, 2 and a half weeks?"

"But your period is due in a few days, right?"

"Uh..." Jester was deep in thought, trying to do the math in her head. "Yeah, it's due in 4 days."

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him, horrified. "It's due in _4_ _days_, J..."

"Right..." He quirked an eyebrow at her, not understanding what she was trying to say. "Is that good or bad?"

"Well..." She bit her bottom lip, trying to piece it all together in her head, not entirely sure what to say or what to make of the results that were glaring up at her from the vanity counter. "I'm not sure."

"Jester..." He squeezed her shoulders gently before coming around the chair to face her, squatting down so he was eye level with her. "What's goin' on in that pretty little head of yours?"

"Well... usually the week before my period I'm bloated, starving, moody and extremely temperamental, I usually sleep more than usual and I'd be ripping your head off over everything and nothing all at the same time." She was chewing on her bottom lip, wringing her hands in her lap.

Joker's eyes widened as it all clicked for him. "You haven't been like that at all..."

"Exactly."

They both looked back at the three positive tests on the counter for a moment before Jester lunged at him, her lips crashing into his, kissing him fiercely as they collapsed backwards onto the floor. Joker wrapped his arms tight around her and kissed her back just as fiercely, groaning into her mouth. He slid his hands up her sides, tangling them in her hair and pulling her as close to him as he could.

When they both finally broke apart, coming up for air, Jester had tears in her eyes and Joker was grinning like a madman. "You're pregnant," Joker purred, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. "You're pregnant with _my _baby."

Jester burst into tears, sobbing hysterically, overwhelmed with the happiness she felt. She never once expected or imagined that she'd be this happy one day to see three positive pregnancy tests. She was absolutely overjoyed and ecstatic, all her worries and fears completely forgotten.

Joker laughed, pulling her close to him and cradling her, slipping one hand between them to stroke her belly. "My baby's in there," he whispered, showering her face with kisses as she wept. "I'm going to be a _father_."

A strangled sob tore its way out of Jester's throat and Joker's eyes darted to hers, tilting her chin up and examining her expression closely. "Are you upset?" he whispered, hoping she wasn't crying because she was angry or afraid.

"No!" She let out a watery laugh, throwing her arms around him. "I'm thrilled, J. I'm so fucking happy."

"Oh, Songbird," he cooed, stroking her purple hair, "this just might be the best day of my life."

Jester kept her head buried in his chest, crying harder when she felt the wetness of his own tears in her hair. They sat on the floor like that for awhile, clutching each other tightly and weeping, neither of them wanting to move or end the moment.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I don't own or take credit for anything except my OC's.

Author's Note: I love the reviews! Keep them coming! :) As always, thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed! You guys are awesome! xo

* * *

Joker carried Jester down the entire grand staircase, refusing to let her walk on her own _'in case she tripped, fell, or the dogs knocked her over_'.

"J, you can't treat me this! I'm still an adult. I can still walk on my own. I can take care of myself." Joker laughed at her words, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Oh, I know you can take care of yourself." He grinned at her, reaching the bottom of the staircase and carefully making his way to the kitchen. He slipped into the kitchen sideways, making sure not to bang her head or her feet on the door frame. He took a seat at the kitchen table, cradling her in his lap and smiling at the dogs as they approached, their big bodies wiggling with their excitement.

"I want you to stay here with Tommy and the dogs while I go back to Arkham," Joker whispered, pulling her hair away from her neck to give himself better access as he planted kisses along her throat.

"Oh no you don't," Jester snarled, whipping around in his lap to face him. "Don't you dare do this to me!"

"Oh, yes, how silly of me to keep you away from Joker Venom, Fear Gas, explosives and gunfire!" He glared at her, cupping her face in his hands. "You're staying here, little bird. No arguments."

"You need me – I'm immune to the Joker Venom and the Fear Gas and I'm a fucking contract killer, J! I'm an _asset! _Being pregnant doesn't make me an invalid!" She was seething, her aqua green eyes darkening.

"You're pregnant?" Deadshot's voice rang out in the once empty kitchen. Jester looked over Joker's shoulder and found her best friend standing in the doorway of the kitchen, looking absolutely stunned.

"D.S.!" She shouted, scrambling out of Joker's hold and running to her best friend, snatching him up in a tight hug. "I missed you," she mumbled, grinning as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I missed you too, kid. Where are the others? How'd y'all get out?" He looked towards the Joker who looked furious, standing from his seat at the table and making his way over.

"Jester and I were the only ones that made it out – we've gotta go back for the others. Long story."

"Let's get this show on the road," Tommy entered the kitchen with Johnny, noticing the rage burning in Joker's eyes. "What did I miss?"

"Tommy boy! Would you _kindly_ tell your pregnant cousin that the Arkham breakout is too dangerous and she needs to stay home with you and the dogs?" Joker grinned menacingly at Tommy, ignoring the shock that registered on the taller man's face.

"Stop it!" Jester snapped, pulling away from Deadshot and storming up to Joker, grabbing him by the collar of his button down shirt. "I'm fucking going, and you're not stopping me."

"Honestly, J... even if you leave her here, she'll find a way to get there and she'll do whatever she wants regardless. She's sneaky as hell – you, of _all_ people, know that." Deadshot eyed Joker, watching as the clown glared down at Jester, his eyes darkening with his own rage.

"He's right. I'll find a way to get there myself and then I'll be ten times as fucking angry." Jester lowered her voice and stood on her tip-toes, placing her lips right next to his ear. "Let's not forget what happened earlier today – they're not going to be too happy to see you. You _need _me there with you, unless you _want _the four of them to try and kill you."

"Oh for fuck's sake, fine! _Fine_! You two," Joker pointed at Deadshot and Tommy, fixing them with a stern, no-bullshit glare, "will stick to her like glue and make sure no one even _looks _at her wrong."

"That's a given," Deadshot confirmed, flexing his wrists in anticipation of what was to come tonight.

Jester grinned wickedly, whistling as she literally skipped her way to the door to the garage. "Come on guys, we're wasting time!"

As soon as the door shut behind her, Joker looked at Deadshot, Johnny and Tommy. "She's pregnant," he said flatly, as if he was merely talking about the weather and not about becoming a father. "Keep an eye on her."

The three men broke out in grins and laughter, all clapping the Joker on the back and whooping in excitement. "Holy shit!" Johnny shouted, running his hands through his hair. "I can't believe it! Congrats, boss man!"

Joker let a small smile creep into his face, smoothing back his hair. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he droned, rolling his eyes.

"God damn," Deadshot couldn't believe it. He always saw Jester as a kid sister, knowing full well she could take care of and protect herself but he had always been there for her regardless. And now – well, _now_ she was going to be a mother. He was floored. She _hated_ children – she never, ever wanted any of her own. She had always been adamant about that her entire life – now she was pregnant and _skipping around. _"My kiddo's knocked up."

Tommy was teary-eyed, blinking furiously and clearing his throat before making his way towards the garage door. "Let's go," he croaked, swinging the door open and helping Jester into the Range Rover she and Joker had stolen and shown up in.

"Quit crying, cuz," Jester chuckled, squeezing Tommy's shoulder. "I know what you're thinking, and I'm thinking it too, but we've gotta go get Selena, Ivy, Harley, and Straw man! No time for tears."

"Alright, I'll take the GN, y'all take the Range. Back entrance, right J?" Deadshot loaded Scarecrow's briefcase, a duffel bag full of guns, Joker Venom smoke bombs and syringes and masks into the backseat of the GN, starting up the car and warming up the turbo.

Joker nodded, getting into the driver's seat of the Range. Johnny slipped into the backseat, and Tommy hesitantly climbed into the passenger seat of the GN, not wanting to be away from his cousin for too long.

"She's gonna be fine, man. She's always been like a little sister to me, too. Trust me – she's more than capable of handling and taking care of herself, pregnant or not." Deadshot backed out of the garage, moving out of the way so Joker could take off first. "The more y'all suffocate and coddle her, the more you're gonna stress her out and piss her off."

"My little cousin is pregnant," Tommy muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "My little cousin who used to cry when I took out my tongue piercing and showed her the hole. My little cousin who hated hanging out in my room because she couldn't stand the posters of naked women on the walls. My little cousin who I used to tickle until she peed her pants in front of all my friends until she was like 7 or 8 years old."

He looked out the window as Deadshot drove, too busy reminiscing on old memories to notice the smile stretching across Deadshot's face. Deadshot never knew that version of Jester, but Tommy did. They both knew her as two completely different people – one as an innocent, creative, artistic, intelligent and sensitive child, and the other as a stone cold, heartless, tough as nails woman with a spine made of steel.

"The same kid that used to listen to reggae music with me in my old truck, who liked to nap with my red tailed boas and fed them live mice and rats without flinching, the same little kid who I took to the store to get her first iguana."

Deadshot looked at Tommy, nudging him with his elbow. "She grew up, man. She's not that little girl anymore – she hasn't been for a long time. That got taken away from her. She's better off the way she is now – she's a force to be reckoned with. She's _happy_, that's all that matters."

"Yeah," Tommy agreed, nodding. "I better call those dumbfucks at The Funhouse and make sure they're across town doing what they're supposed to."

"Good idea. The last thing we need is the Bat squad showing up – especially with Jester pregnant. You think J's crazy _now? _Shiiiiiiit." Deadshot gave a low whistle, shaking his head. "That motherfucker is about to be insane on an entirely different level."

* * *

Joker held his hand out for Jester, carefully helping her out of the Range Rover. He would've laughed at how she struggled to get out of the tall SUV, her short legs dangling off of her seat about 3 feet from the ground – hell, watching her try to get in was even more hysterical – but he wasn't in the mood. He was pissed off that she was here with him instead of safe at the mansion, but he knew Deadshot was right – she was stubborn, defiant, proud, and she could be insanely arrogant – she'd find a way to get to the asylum and she'd probably shoot at him for leaving her home.

She giggled, gripping his hand and hopping to the ground, noticing the way his clenched jaw twitched as she stumbled slightly. He pushed her up against the car as soon as her door was shut behind her, placing a hand possessively against her throat. "You stay with me, you understand? Don't. Leave. My. Sight."

"Sure thing, pops," she drawled, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Let's go already, you're no fun when you're parenting me."

Joker's eyes widened in disbelief, watching her stalk off towards the rear exit door she had run away from him through so many months ago. He instantly regretted the outfit he had chosen for her to wear, snarling at how nicely it accentuated her curves. He was breathing heavily, his mouth hanging slightly open, his eyes darkening as he watched her lean against the door, casually checking her phone. Her deep v-neck 'Property of Joker' t-shirt showed her breasts off magnificently, the white and black skull patterned leggings she wore showing her ass off so nicely it was as though she wasn't wearing pants at all. She wore her black mid-calf faux leather heeled boots, boosting her from 5'2" to 5'6". On top of that, her makeup and hair were done perfectly, and he was an idiot enough to pick out a black push up bra and matching thong for her to wear under her clothes.

He grabbed his purple crocodile skin jacket out of the backseat of the Range Rover and stalked over to Jester, sliding it over her shoulders. "Put this on," he commanded, looming over her menacingly.

"Stop it," she snapped, glaring up at him. "If this is how you're gonna be for the next 9 months, I'm gonna run away to a desert island or something."

He growled at her, lifting her up and pressing her against the wall. He gripped the undersides of her thighs, wrapping her legs around him. "I didn't care about anyone staring at you before – but you're carrying my child, Jester. I don't want men staring at you like _that _while you walk around with my child growing inside you."

"_Our _child," she corrected him. "Men are going to stare at me regardless – in fact, some men have fetishes for pregnant women."

Joker's eyes flashed black for a moment at the mere thought of that and he snarled. "_Stop_," he demanded, not wanting to lose his temper.

"Then stop treating me like I'm some kind of fucking hostage housewife. Be the guy I fell in love with – _not _my parole-officer-slash-parent." She glared at him, her lips stretched in a tight line.

Joker's expression softened and he sighed, pressing his forehead against hers. "You're right. I'm just... _concerned_."

"You know I can take care of myself. You also know I'm smart enough to always have the dogs and someone else with me if I go anywhere, especially now." She ran her hands through his hair, tilting her head and catching his lips in a soft kiss. He relaxed into it, stroking her thighs through her leggings and letting the feel, smell and taste of her calm him.

"Alright, baby," he smiled at her, "let's go take out the trash."

"_There's_ my man," Jester crooned, grinning wickedly at him. He let her down carefully just as Tommy, Deadshot and another black van full of henchmen pulled up.

"Masks," Joker tapped his nose, looking at them. He caught the duffel bag Deadshot tossed to him after he pulled out enough masks for himself, Tommy, Johnny, Selena, Ivy, Scarecrow and the other 8 henchmen.

"Your name is Razor from now on," Joker nodded towards Tommy as he situated his mask on his face, putting on his Red Sox hat and a pair of Buddy Holly style sunglasses. Tommy nodded, giving Joker a thumbs-up.

"Are we on schedule?" Joker asked, looking at Johnny expectantly. Johnny nodded, pulling his phone out of his pocket and scrolling through his text messages, pulling up a video another henchmen sent of several different banks on the same street in the ritzy area of Gotham blowing up simultaneously. Joker grinned, letting a laugh escape him. "Excellent."

With that, he shot the door off its hinges and kicked it in, pulling Jester into the back of Arkham Asylum by the hand, careful to keep her behind him.

"You," Joker pointed at the 8 new henchmen, "I want the fear toxin and Joker Venom in the AC system." He opened the duffel bag and pulled Scarecrow's briefcase out of it. He unlocked it, pulling Scarecrow's mask and puppets out before closing it back up. He also pulled out a few Joker Venom smoke bombs and filled syringes before tossing the entire bag to the henchmen. "Remember – _Not _in Intensive Treatment, and _not_ in Cell Block A. _Go_."

The henchmen were armed with automatic rifles and handguns, Joker was armed with his usual two handguns, his gold butterfly knife and a Louisville slugger, Jester had her two holsters on complete with all 3 of her guns and her tactical belt strapped to her waist, Deadshot was armed with his wrist guns and some extras strapped to his back, and Tommy carried his box cutter, a couple of revolvers the Joker had given him, and a crowbar.

Deadshot, Johnny and Tommy went ahead of Joker and Jester, making their way down the empty corridor and keeping a lookout. They knew the henchmen had succeeded in their task when they heard the screaming and the laughter begin – loud, shrill screams and delirious laughter echoed throughout the corridors and seemed to get louder and louder the further into the Asylum they went. Joker threw his head back and laughed, happy that the plan was going well so far. The fear toxin and Joker Venom would neutralize the multiple threats the guards, orderlies, and staffs posed. He was impressed with Tommy – he had memorized the blueprints of the Asylum perfectly, making his way through the many corridors and floors without any difficulty at all. Joker noticed Johnny had purposely let Tommy take the lead to test him – and, as usual, Tommy was exceeding expectations.

When they reached the Warden's office, Tommy and Johnny kicked the door in off its hinges, finding the Warden on the ground screaming and writhing in terror, succumbing to the effects of Scarecrow's fear toxin. "Perfect," Joker purred, kicking the man away from the desk and cackling as the man cried in pain. He sat at the desk, pulling Jester down into his lap, and reached for the intercom mic. He giggled as the Arkham chime played, alerting anyone coherent to the announcement he was about to make. He giggled as he wondered how his voice might affect those suffering the effects of Scarecrow's fear toxin, imagining it would make the experience 10 times as frightening.

"Goooooood evening, ladies and gentlemen! Joker here!" He paused to shift Jester in his lap so he could kick his legs up on the desk, crossing them at the ankles and leaning back comfortably in the leather chair. "Now, I'll be honest – I only came to free my pals from this hell hole, but tonight I'm feeling quite..." He inhaled sharply, chuckling into the intercom, "_generous. _I'll tell ya what – the first one to bring me Doctor Leland gets a million bucks. Cold, hard cash! _Now..._ let's have some fun!" He cackled as he turned off the intercom and set all the alarms to go off, causing the building to echo with the blares of sirens on top of the cacophony of screams and laughter coming from everyone suffering the effects of the Fear Toxin and Joker Venom. Red, flashing lights took over the corridors, causing an even creepier and darker atmosphere in the Asylum. He decided to up the ante by also shutting off all the lights in the entire Asylum, making the nights' events more interesting and making GCPD's job that much harder once they were alerted to the breakout.

"Johnny boy, do me a favor and free the animals, would ya?" Joker grinned wickedly at Johnny. "Don't let the Rogues out – I want them locked up tight for awhile longer." Johnny nodded, quickly finding the control panel that housed a ton of switches, buttons, and levers. He found the ones that would open all the cells in the building and pressed them all, smiling a little as the sounds of all the cells clanging open reverberated throughout the building.

"Let the games begin," Joker declared, carefully standing up and pulling Jester with him. She was cackling, a wicked grin on her face, and she happily held his hand as they made their way out of the Warden's office. She stopped short in the doorway, causing Joker to pause and look back at her in confusion. She didn't say a word, simply smiling at him as she pulled the knife he had given her out of her belt and made her way back towards the Warden. She pressed the button to release the blade and crouched down beside the screaming man, flipping him over so she had access to his back. She plunged the knife into his back at an upward angle, twice, piercing both of his lungs so his screams died out. She laughed, turning him back over and peering into his fear-stricken face. "Let's put a smile on that face," she snarled, fixing her blade to the corner of his mouth.

"Jester, my love, we don't have much time for this," Joker cooed, coming to stand behind her. Deadshot, Tommy, and Johnny watched in awe and amusement as she ignored the Joker and cackled, carving a chelsea grin into the Warden's face.

"All done! See? It didn't take me long!" She chirped, standing up and planting a kiss to Joker's lips. "I've been waiting a _long _time to do that – I hated that asshole."

Joker just laughed, slinging his arm over her shoulders and following Johnny, Tommy, and Deadshot out and back into the corridor, making their way towards Cellblock A to try and catch up with Scarecrow, Harley, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman before they got too far.

* * *

Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Catwoman and Harley shot up in their cots as the Joker's voice came through the intercom. Soon after, the alarms began blaring, the blinding red lights flashing in the corridor and disorienting them. The lights in the corridor turned off, catapulting them into darkness, and they blinked their eyes furiously to try and force their eyes to adjust quicker to the darkness – the only light coming from the red flashes of light coming from the ceiling.

Harley was grinning, cackling loudly over the cacophony of noise surrounding them. "Looks like we're getting outta here!" She shouted, making her way to her nightstand and pulling out her makeup. She tied her hair up in high pigtails, doing her pink and blue eye makeup and smearing on some cherry red lipstick.

Scarecrow looked absolutely feral in his cell, a wide grin spreading across his face as he heard the unmistakable screams of terror coming through the vent above him. "My fear gas has been deployed."

The screams began mixing with hysterical laughter, and Harley laughed. "Double tap!" She shouted enthusiastically, dancing around in her cell.

"Hiya guys," Jester crooned, sauntering over to their cells with a big grin plastered on her pretty face. Her clothes were spattered with blood, some of it spattered and smeared on her face, chest, arms, and hands. "Did ya miss us?"

Deadshot, Tommy, Johnny, and Joker made their way over, all of them wearing masks except for Joker. Joker unlocked all their cells as Johnny handed Scarecrow his briefcase with his mask in it and Deadshot and Tommy handed Poison Ivy and Catwoman masks.

Scarecrow yanked his mask on gleefully, cackling wickedly as he fell into his darker role, dancing his way around the corridor. Poison Ivy kept her stolen succulent clutched close to her, grabbing all of her pictures and makeup from her nightstand and dumping it into the duffel bag that Tommy carried along with everything else from the other cells that Jester was collecting.

Catwoman jumped into Tommy's arms, wrapping her legs and arms tight around him. "Hey, good lookin,'" she purred, nuzzling her nose against his. "You sure are a sight for sore eyes."

Tommy laughed, holding her up with one arm and carrying the duffel bag in the other. "Hey to you too, gorgeous."

Harley was squealing, jumping on Deadshot's back. He laughed, wrapping his arms under her legs and holding her up.

"You're not off the hook, you know," Poison Ivy sneered at Joker, shooting him a death glare.

Joker nodded. "As expected. Let's go, we've gotta set the others loose before we split."

"The others?" Catwoman asked, quirking a brow at Joker as she dropped gracefully to her feet, standing beside Tommy.

"Two-Face, Mad Hatter, Ventriloquist, Killer Croc, all the other Rogues locked up here. I've got a diversion going already on the opposite end of the city, but it won't last much longer." Joker grabbed Jester's hand, gently pulling her with him back down the corridor.

"Ah, collateral." Catwoman smirked, lacing her fingers with Tommy's as they all made their way back down the corridor and to the stairwell, making their way to the basement floor where all the Intensive Treatment prisoners were.

* * *

"Let's have some _laughs_!" Joker shouted, laughing as he chucked several Joker Venom smoke bombs down the main corridor. Purple smoke filled the corridor, creeping into the Intensive Treatment cells, causing a chorus of delirious laughter to break out among the prisoners.

"_Now _they like my jokes," he mused, winking at Scarecrow. Scarecrow paid him no mind, dancing his way down the corridor with his little scarecrow puppets, lost to his alter ego.

"Alright, you scaly, ugly motherfucker! Time to go home!" Joker peered into the cell that held Killer Croc all the way at the end of the corridor, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the putrid smell coming from the stagnant, dirty green water. He unlocked the cell door, swinging it wide open and shrugging when he didn't see any movement coming from the water or the dark corners in the back of the cell.

"Rogue roll call," Jester sing-songed, skipping around the corridor. She found Riddler's cell and grinned at him. "Hey loser. Feel like coming out to play?"

Riddler smiled at her, giving her a polite nod and stepping back from his cell door as she opened it for him. "Much appreciated." He gave her a curt nod before making his way down the corridor.

Two-Face was next, laughing as Harley let him out of his cell. "Thanks, doll," he quipped, shooting her a wink before sauntering out of his cell and catching up with Riddler.

Ventriloquist and Mad Hatter were freed by Two-Face and Riddler, all four of them wasting no time running for the hills while they still could.

"**JOKER!**" A booming, gruff voice with a thick accent rang out over the noise in the corridor and Joker cackled, turning in its direction.

"O-ho! It's the big, bad Bane! El Luchador!" Joker tucked Jester behind him, putting up a hand to signal her to stay behind and sauntered over to Bane's cell in the far corner, almost directly across from Killer Croc's.

"Forgetting someone, clown?" Bane growled, standing at his cell door. He looked weak – he was smaller than usual, much less muscular, and much paler too. The Venom withdrawals were clearly kicking his ass.

"From the looks of it, no," Joker drawled, grinning at Bane. "You don't look so good, ol' pal. What's wrong? No Venom to keep your big ol' muscles bulging?"

"Let me out," Bane demanded, slamming his large frame against his cell door.

Joker approached him, eyeing him through the bars. "What's in it for me, Nacho Libre?"

"You freed the morons to keep the Batman busy, did you not?" Bane smirked at Joker.

Joker rolled his head, cracking his neck. "Always so intelligent, Bane! You caught me... _red-handed." _He put his hands up and laughed, showing Bane the blood that stained and caked his pale skin. "I tell ya what, big fella. I'll let you out – after all, it'll be fun watching you go Rambo on everyone here." Joker stuck the key inside the hole in Bane's cell door, eyeing the large man carefully. "However..." he drew the word out in a growl, licking his lips. "You'll owe me a favor, _amigo._"

"You've got yourself a deal, little pasty man." Bane and Joker grinned at each other as Joker unlocked his cell, letting him out.

"Run along, big boy. If you come across an Officer Graham, play nice. He's a team player." Joker cackled, strolling after Bane back towards Jester. He snarled as Bane stopped before Jester, eyeing her and Harley carefully.

"So it is true," his voice boomed. "The good doctor turned into a clown."

"Nice to see ya again, big guy," Harley supplied, sticking a pale hand out.

Bane laughed, taking her hand and shaking it. "Nice to see you on this side of the fence."

Joker was already at Jester's side, watching Bane carefully as Bane addressed their group. "Oye, clown, I didn't realize you had a little team now."

Joker rolled his eyes, groaning. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," he drawled. "All of this chit chat's gonna get us caught."

"Allow me to accompany you to the exit," Bane offered, holding his arm out in a gesture for the group to go ahead of him. He noticed the way the Joker stayed close to Jester, keeping an arm around her at all times and not allowing anyone to get too close to her.

"Are you the one I heard about, _flaca_?" Bane peered down at Jester as they all stepped out of the stairwell and onto the main floor.

Jester grinned. "Depends on what you heard, _pendejo._"

"Oh, you're feisty. I like that." Bane chuckled. "I heard that you sing."

"I do," Jester nodded, giving the big, hulking man a small smile.

"I would like to hear it sometime, _Jefa_."

Jester grinned at Bane's compliment – he knew more about her than just her knack for singing if he was referring to her as the boss.

A familiar voice stopped Jester in her tracks and she snapped her head around, trying to pinpoint the source. Her eyes finally landed on Doctor Brian Mills, terrified out of his mind and screaming on the floor with his hands over his ears. He was curled up in the fetal position, off to the side of the corridor, shrouded in darkness. She crept up to him, glaring at any other patient that came too close to the man.

"Doc, it's me," she shook him slightly by the shoulder, not sure what to do with someone who was suffering the effects of Scarecrow's fear gas. She was thankful it was just the fear gas he'd been succumbed to – she knew Joker Venom killed people.

"Scarecrow!" She called, ignoring the Joker's heavy breathing behind her. She looked over her shoulder and found Scarecrow laughing and dancing around the corridor, delighted at the screams of terror erupting from his victims and taunting them to get his kicks. He wasn't listening to her, zeroing in on another Doctor in the hall that none of them recognized. "Dammit!" Jester hissed, slipping her arms under Doctor Mills' and dragging him down the hall.

"Jester..." Joker growled in warning, peering down into her face. "Leave the Doctor here. It's time to go."

"J... he was gonna help us. I made a deal with him. He's not a bad guy. Just help me get him to the medical ward." She looked pleadingly at the Joker, trying to chip away his resolve, but he wouldn't budge.

"No."

"Little _Jefa, _why do you want to help this man?" Bane was curious, peering down at Doctor Mills' terrified form, taking in his pained expression as he screamed bloody murder.

"Because he helped _me,_" Jester growled, glaring at Joker who stood at her side with his arms folded stubbornly over his chest.

Poison Ivy had taken off towards the greenhouse, wanting to recoup and rebuild her strength since she had been injected constantly with whatever serum they were using to stop her pheromones and abilities. Harley, Deadshot, Tommy and Catwoman were clearing the way for them to get through the corridor and closer to the back exit. Scarecrow was still terrorizing that one Doctor. Johnny was by Joker's side, ever the loyal and faithful right hand man, and Bane was still with them instead of going his own way.

"Leave him, Jester," Joker's eyes were darkening as he watched her continue to try and drag the man by his arms, his temper flaring.

"No," Jester argued, meeting his gaze without a single hint of fear. "He was going to help us break out, he never did anything wrong to me, and he's the only doctor in here that is actually _good." _

"That's it!" Joker snapped, pulling her back and away from Doctor Mills and hoisting her up into his arms. "We're leaving... _now."_

"God dammit, J! I'm not gonna leave him like that!" Jester snarled, wiggling in his arms to try and get loose. He tightened his grip on her, refusing to let her go, trying as hard as he could to fight off his madness in his rage.

"You are, and that's the end of it. We need to go. The rodent is probably on his way here as we speak."

"Why do you want to take the Doctor to the medical ward?" Bane questioned, meeting Jester's feral gaze.

"To zap him out of his god damn nightmare," she replied, looking down at Doctor Mills.

"You want to shock the Doctor?" Joker asked, an amused grin stretching across his pale face. "Oh, honey, _I'll _shock the Doctor."

"I'm not frying his brain like you did to Harley!" Jester retorted. "I just want to snap him out of it and send him home before he gets killed."

"So much _concern _for this Doctor of yours," Joker drawled. "I don't like it."

"J, he was nice to me. You know me. I kill the bad guys, not the good ones. He didn't do anything to deserve being left here to suffer and die."

Joker huffed in exasperation, rolling his head around in his irritation. "Alright, _alright. _We zap the Doctor and then we _leave, _little bird." He looked down at her face and rolled his eyes at the wide grin she was sporting. "Only because I want to fry his brains after your little _date _this morning."

Jester rolled her eyes and nodded, happy once Joker carefully set her back down on her feet.

"Johnny, be a good sport and get the Doctor."

Johnny followed Joker's orders, picking Doctor Mills up and tossing him over his shoulder.

"Allow me, little fancy man," Bane's voice boomed. He took Doctor Mills from Johnny and held him in his arms as he followed Joker, Jester, and Johnny towards the medical ward.

Tommy noticed them going the opposite way of the back exit and ran after them, tapping Jester on the shoulder once he caught up. "What's going on?" he asked, eyeing Bane and Doctor Mills with a confused look on his face.

"Change of plans, Razor," Joker drawled. "Get everyone to the cars out back and meet us outside the side door of the medical ward. Make sure you go and get Red – she gets a little _insane _when she spends too much time in the Arkham greenhouse." He cackled at that, continuing down the corridor towards the medical ward.

* * *

They reached the medical ward without any incident, most of the patients and staff suffering the effects of Joker Venom and Scarecrow's fear gas. Once there, Bane set Doctor Mills' screaming, writhing form down on an ECT table and watched in curiosity as Jester snapped on a pair of purple medical gloves, ignoring the grin Joker was fixing her with.

"Alright, Doc, this is gonna hurt," she warned, firing up the ECT machine. She was about to place the two probes against his temples when Joker clicked his tongue at her in scolding.

"He'll break those pretty white teeth of his," he sing-songed, giggling as Doctor Mills let out a shrill scream, still stuck in whatever horrible nightmare he was trapped in.

"Shit," Jester hissed, looking around for something to guard his teeth.

"I used a belt for Harley," Joker whispered in her ear, slipping his own belt out of the loops of his pants and folding it in half. He stretched it taut with a menacing _snap _and cackled as he shoved it between Doctor Mills' teeth. "Go on baby, make your puppet _dance _for you."

Jester turned up the voltage on the machine, not exercising any caution – she just wanted Doctor Mills to _stop fucking screaming. _Without a word, she pressed the probes to his temples and sent electricity coursing through the Doctor, watching in awe as he seized and screamed on the table. Joker moved quickly, strapping the Doctor in where he lay, making sure he wouldn't give Jester too much trouble as she shocked him.

"How many times have they done this to _you, _clown?" Bane asked, watching Doctor Mills seize repeatedly from Jester's unforgiving shocks.

"More than I can remember," Joker laughed, grinning from ear to ear as he watched his little bird fry the Doctor's brains. _He_ knew she had already successfully ripped him out of his little fear gas induced nightmare a _long _time ago at this point, but _she_ didn't and he wasn't gonna tell her. Doctor Mills' screaming and seizing at this point was a result of pure pain from her ministrations. The man was writhing on the table between seizures, nearly biting through Joker's belt, staring up at Jester in horror as she continued to electrocute him. Joker watched eagerly, watching as the Doctor suffered, still angry about the two hour session and how the man bribed Jester for information with food and kindness. He also didn't like that Doctor Mills was aware of Jester's pregnancy. _This just might be better than outright killing the prick._

"I think you've fried him long enough," Scarecrow's voice came from the doorway causing Joker, Johnny and Bane to turn towards him. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. His mask was off and he was back to his usual Jonathan Crane self.

"You're ruining all the fun," Joker pouted, snapping his gaze over to Jester as she quickly pulled the probes away and shut the machine down.

"Shit!" she hissed, noticing the raw and angry looking burns on Doctor Mills' temples. He was unresponsive, his eyes rolled back in his head and his body stiff on the table. "Fuck! Is he dead?"

"Not dead," Scarecrow supplied, coming closer to examine the Doctor. "He's in shock, darling."

"I've gotta get him out of here," Jester snapped, slapping Doctor Mills' face repeatedly to try and snap him out of his shock. "He'll be killed if I leave him here like this."

"What the fuck do you care?" Joker snarled, glaring at her. "He was on the kill list anyway, Jester. Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."

"What's your rush, Joker?" Bane asked. "I thought you'd be trying to take over Arkham – but you're in a hurry to leave. What has you so... _paranoid?"_

"I'm not in the mood to take over today," Joker shrugged. "I missed my afternoon nap, I'm cranky."

"You are lying," Bane accused, glaring at Joker. "You started a manhunt for Doctor Leland and you're rushing to leave without claiming your prize. What are you hiding?"

Joker snarled and, with catlike fluidity and grace, leapt up and latched onto Bane's back, wrapping one arm around his throat and the other pulling his gold butterfly knife from his pocket. He stabbed Bane incessantly in the shoulder, moving his arm from Bane's neck to grip at his face, prying his head back forcefully to gain better access to Bane's throat. In between stabs, Joker snarled at Bane, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I. _Said. _I'm. Not. In. The. _MOOD!"_

Bane's expression was contorted with his rage, trying to reach his big arms up and behind him to get a grip on Joker and pull him off as the clown violently shanked the shit out of him in his fury to no avail. In a flash, Johnny had his gun aimed right between Bane's eyes, the hammer pulled back. "Don't touch the Boss," he warned, glaring at Bane.

Bane laughed as Jester scolded Joker behind him. "Get off him, for fuck's sake!" She snapped, gripping Joker by the back of his shirt. "Stop it!"

Joker snarled and stabbed Bane one last time before jumping off of his back and landing gracefully on his feet, his once silver button up shirt soaked to the elbows with Bane's blood. "Don't _ever _question me," he hissed. He grabbed Jester by the hand and began pulling her from the room, pushing past Scarecrow who looked highly amused.

"J, I can't leave Brian behind!" Jester shouted, digging her heels into the ground and refusing to move.

Joker whipped around so fast it shocked her and he brought his face close to hers, his nose touching hers. His eyes were nearly black. "_'Brian'_? It's _'Brian' _now?" He stepped forward, looming menacingly over her. "Why don't you tell me what _exactly _happened during your long session this morning, hmm?" He jerked her by the hand back into the room and pulled up a chair, turning it backwards and sitting down, draping his arms over the back of it. "Let's have a chat."

Bane looked absolutely feral as he recovered from Joker's assault, advancing on him quickly. Joker threw up a hand in warning, his gaze never leaving Jester's. "Wait your turn, _has-Bane. _I have important matters to discuss with my... _girlfriend." _

Scarecrow sighed, running a hand through his brown locks before approaching the seething Bane. "Listen," he whispered, "why don't you get out of here before Batman comes? This'll take awhile..." He glanced over at Jester and Joker who were locked in a death-glare contest. "They're both stubborn and have _nasty _tempers. This could get ugly."

"_La Jefa, _she is important to the clown," Bane wiped the blood from his shoulder with a towel he had picked up, eyeing both clowns with interest.

"_Very,_" Scarecrow said darkly, his eyes still on both clowns.

"She is the contract killer I heard about, yes?"

Scarecrow nodded. "Oh yes. _'Though she be but little, she is fierce.'" _

"My men and I, we call her _'Mortifera.'" _

"'Bringer of Death'... appropriate," Scarecrow mused, a small smile playing on his thin lips.

"He listens to her?" Bane was curious, noticing how the female clown seemed to have an effect on the Joker without trying very hard at all.

"Let's chat in the hall, shall we?" Scarecrow escorted Bane out into the corridor, keeping watch and filling Bane in on little facts about Jester and her relationship with Joker, careful to only tell him things that were already public knowledge and nothing Joker would get mad about.

"_Why _must you aggravate me, Songbird?" Joker snapped, glancing at Doctor Mills before returning his darkened eyes to Jester. "What is it about _him_ that makes you defy me?"

"It's not what you're thinking, J," Jester sighed, running her hands through her purple hair. "He's a _good _Doctor. The kind that this place _needs. _He actually cares and wants to help people. He doesn't want to dope us up, experiment on us, abuse us, or use us to get famous. He's smart, he's compassionate, and he wants to make a difference in Arkham. You know me, J. You know what I do – I kill _bad_ guys, not good guys. I can't leave him behind to be killed."

"Have you forgotten, my dear, who _I _am? What _I _do?" Joker's eyes were slowly but surely going back to blue.

"J, I know very well who you are. You and I have always been different in that regard, but it has never come between us. Why now?"

"Because I want him _dead!" _Joker shouted, tugging at his green hair with one hand. "I don't _like _him! I want him _gone! Dead. Nonexistent!" _

"What is with all this fucking jealousy?" Jester cupped his face in her hands, leaning down to look him in the eye. "I'm _yours _and _only _yours, remember?"

"Didn't stop you from spending two hours with _him_. Eating and talking with _him_ when you refused to do the same with me. He brought you food and coffee in exchange for information, he knows about..." Joker didn't dare say it aloud with Bane in the hall and the risk of other patients or staff hearing him. "_This," _he reached out and wrapped his arms around Jester, pulling her close to him and pressing his cheek against her belly.

"J... he figured it out on his own. Aside from that, _after _I tried to strangle him and actually _attacked _him, he asked me what purpose he was meant to serve. He wasn't stupid – he knew I was keeping him alive for a reason. I told him the truth, that he was a means to an end, only good for getting us out of this place. That's when we made the deal – if he helped us get out, I'd let him live and make sure he survived the breakout and got out of here alive. That's all it was, J. The rest of the session was just me making my usual jokes and fucking with his head. I stayed later at therapy because I was being a coward – I wasn't ready to face you, to face _this," _she pat her belly next to his head, sighing. "I was avoiding you and the others because I was scared. I would have gone straight back to my cell after therapy if I didn't stay the extra hour."

"Do you want him?" Joker growled, not moving. He pressed his face closer to her belly, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

"No, J," Jester assured him, running her fingers through his green hair. "I just want to help him because he's a good guy. He's the kind of guy that can turn this fucking hell hole around. That's all. Now I've gone and fried his fuckin' brains and we gotta get outta here. I gotta make sure he's gonna be safe. Are you gonna help me, or are you gonna keep fighting with me?"

Joker sighed, pressing a quick kiss to her belly before pulling away from her. "Fine," he muttered bitterly, standing from his seat. "The boys will drop him off at his house on the way back. That's it. After this, I never want to hear his name again unless we end up back here, you got it?"

Jester giggled, pecking him on the cheek and giving him a quick hug.

"Boss," Johnny interrupted, a serious look on his face as he approached. "We gotta clear out. The boys spotted the Bat speeding through the city. He's on his way here."

"Alright," Joker nodded, grabbing Jester by the hand. "Get the Doc, throw him in the trunk of the GN. Drop him off home, would ya?"

Johnny nodded and released Doctor Mills from all his restraints, handing Joker's belt back to him before throwing the man over his shoulder and disappearing without a word.

"Time to go!" Joker shouted, catching Scarecrow and Bane's attention. They all took off down the corridor after Johnny, rushing through the exit door and to the waiting cars.

"I will keep the Batman busy," Bane shouted, smiling at Jester. "You be safe, _Mortifera – _and Joker, if they find Doctor Leland, I will take her to you."

Jester grinned at Bane and waved over Joker's shoulder as Joker carefully settled her in the passenger seat of the Range Rover where Harley, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow were waiting. "Hiya guys!" Jester chirped, taking in Poison Ivy's vibrant green skin, crimson colored hair and glowing green eyes. She notices the vines that seemed to crawl up Ivy's skin, realizing they were actually _part of her. _"My, my! Don't _you_ look gorgeous?" She blew a kiss at Ivy, winking at her.

Ivy smiled. "Spending time with my Arkham babies always does me a world of good. I can't wait to get home and see my _special_ babies."

"Jestah, can we play the song?!" Harley was leaning forward where she sat in the middle of the backseat, her face creeping over Jester's shoulder. She held on tight to the backs of Joker's and Jester's seats as Joker cackled, careening and speeding his way out of Arkham and tearing through the streets of Gotham, a lead foot on the gas pedal at all times.

"Which one?" Jester asked, opening up her Spotify app on her cell phone and grinning.

"That MSI one! You know – 'punch your lights out'?" Harley was giggling, her makeup and lipstick smeared, hair in complete disarray. Jester had a feeling she got in some kills of her own when they parted ways.

"'Lights Out'? _Perfect _choice, Harls," Jester purred, grinning wickedly as she found and played the song.

"'MSI?'" Joker asked, quirking a brow.

"'Mindless Self Indulgence', they're a band," Jester explained, turning up the volume and singing along to the song with Harley, dancing in her seat as Joker drove wildly.

"I like them already," Joker mused, grinning as he listened to the lyrics of the song. Soon, they were all belting out the lyrics of the song, playing it over and over on the way to the mansion. In between replays, Jester also played some of their other songs like _Stupid MF, Bring The Pain, Shut Me up, Straight To Video, Get It Up, Prescription, Bitches, Witness, _and _Hey Tomorrow Fuck You and Your Friend Yesterday. _

"_Who the hell said any of you get a taste? _

_Stupid!_

_Do you ever wanna get all up in your face? _

_You better take it!_

_And nothing you can do could ever make me go away,_

_Fake it,_

_Poor baby, I'm gonna make it all okay. _

_Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All the violence makes a statement,_

_Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All this violence makes a statement! _

_She better get with the club!  
_

_Who the hell said any of you get a taste? _

_Stupid!_

_Do you ever wanna get all up in your face?_

_You better take it!_

_And nothing you can do could ever make me go away,_

_Fake it,_

_Poor baby, I'm gonna make it all okay._

_Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All the violence makes a statement,_

_Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All this violence makes a statement! _

_All. This. Violence. Makes. A. Statement!_

_Punch your lights out, _

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Punch your lights out!_

_Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All the violence makes a statement,  
Punch your lights out,_

_Hit the pavement,_

_That's what I call entertainment,_

_Causing problems makes you famous,_

_All this violence makes a statement!_

_All. This. Violence. Makes. A. Statement!"_

* * *

Joker and Jester showered as soon as they got home, stripping off their blood soaked clothes and scrubbing all the dried blood and grime off of themselves. They had waited in the dining room for Johnny, Tommy, and Deadshot to return to the mansion before telling their friends their news. Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman were absolutely delirious with their excitement, fussing over Jester and congratulating her and Joker, their anger with the Clown Prince completely forgotten for the moment.

"Wait..." Scarecrow was deep in thought in his seat at the large dining table, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "If it's only been a couple of weeks, you shouldn't have been able to tell yet. It's way too soon." Scarecrow ignored the scathing look Joker shot him and met Jester's eyes. "My darling Jester, would you mind if I ran some tests? I have some... theories."

"What kinds of _tests?_" Joker clearly wasn't thrilled with the idea, draping a protective arm over Jester's shoulders.

Jester chuckled, patting his cheek affectionately before looking back to Scarecrow. "Whatcha thinkin?" she asked, genuinely curious. He had a point – it was definitely way too early for them to tell, and Scarecrow was a psychiatrist _and _biochemist. He knew a thing or two.

"I'd like to take your blood, test its levels and its toxicity, for starters." Scarecrow smiled reassuringly at Jester, noticing the terror in her eyes at the mention of drawing blood. "I'll be quick, I promise."

Jester shuddered, wrapping her arms tight around herself, tears pricking at her eyes. She _hated _needles. She was squeamish about veins – phlebotomists and doctors always laughed at her because she'd cry and have full blown panic attacks whenever she had to have her blood drawn – actually, she usually had to be strapped down. She had assaulted many a phlebotomist just for coming into the room with the tubes in the kit. She always tried to explain that it wasn't the initial pinch of the needle in her arm that hurt – no, it was the feeling of the needle _inside _her tiny little veins. It always hurt like a _bitch _and they always stuck her wrong or in the wrong arm, and she always _felt _the blood being pulled into the needle and it made her extremely uncomfortable and upset. She always felt like the needle was jiggling in her vein and she'd panic, thinking the needle was going to stab through it and collapse it. Sure, she had tattoos, but she loved that pain and the vibration in her skin – those needles were tiny and literally only scratched the surface. Tattoos had nothing to do with veins.

"O-okay," She choked, looking down at her lap as she cried. She bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her sniffles and sobs. Joker misread the reaction and slammed his hands down on the table, his eyes going dark as he stared at Scarecrow.

"Absolutely fucking not," he seethed, his tone laced with venom.

"No," Jester muttered, grabbing his forearm tightly in her hand. "I'm scared of needles, J. It's okay. I have to get my blood drawn all the time – I just always cry cause I'm squeamish."

"You? _Squeamish_? You, of _all_ people? You've been _bathed _in blood so many times – it never bothered you!" Deadshot was chuckling from where he sat between Harley and Scarecrow, eyeing Jester.

"No, it's not the blood," Jester explained, sighing. She looked up and Deadshot frowned, feeling bad for heckling her once he saw the tears streaming from her aqua green eyes. "I'm squeamish when it comes to veins – mine are really tiny, so when the needle is in my arm I feel it jiggling and pulling and it always hurts _so _bad. I have panic attacks, _really bad _panic attacks. I always have to be restrained."

"That's why you do it from behind," Joker muttered, tilting his head. "You strangle them and slit their throats from behind – it's not that it's easier, you just can't deal with the bulging veins and the carotid being cut."

"Bingo," Jester confirmed, shuddering. "You'll never see me slit a wrist, cut any tendons, or cut out someone's tongue."

Deadshot, Joker, and Johnny burst out laughing. Harley smacked Deadshot in the arm, fixing him with a nasty glare. Ivy and Catwoman were also glaring at the men, their arms folded over their chests.

"Oh, fuck _all_ of you!" Jester spat, furiously wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and standing from the table, attempting to storm out before Joker caught her around the waist.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry," he cooed, seeing her eyes watering again. "At least the pregnancy explains all this _crying." _

"I hate you," she muttered, burying her face in her hands. "You can do it Scarecrow – in fact, do it now. Just get it over with. The longer I wait, the bigger the chance of me having a meltdown and running away."

Scarecrow chuckled, patting her on the shoulder before making his way out of the room and towards the basement where his lab was to gather supplies.

"We need one of those ultrasound machines," Harley chirped, stroking her chin in thought. "Once she's like 6-8 weeks, you can take a look at the little peanut!"

"Oh, yes, that's very important. You'll want to hear the heartbeat," Ivy agreed, smiling beautifully at Jester. "I have some plants that can help you along with your morning sickness and the pain. I can make you some lovely green tea and chamomile tea to help with your nerves as well."

"Thank you," Jester sniffled, dropping her hands from her face.

"I'll get ya what you need," Catwoman grinned at her, winking. "After all, stealing is my specialty."

"How soon?" Joker asked her, his gaze flickering between her and Tommy.

"Right now," Tommy took the hint and got up from his seat, pulling Catwoman up with him.

"Take your truck," Joker said. "They won't be looking for you in that – Selena," he met Catwoman's eyes, giving her a stern look, "low-key."

Catwoman laughed, shooting him a wink before tugging Tommy by the hand out of the dining room and towards the front door. She knew just where to go. Tommy was already on the phone, calling up some of the new henchmen he, Johnny and Deadshot had been training to help with the heavy lifting.

"Once Scarecrow's done doing his thing, I'll help ya look at baby stuff," Harley smiled at Jester, reaching out and taking her hand. "Joker can give ya his credit card and we can _splurge!" _

Joker rolled his eyes. "Whatever you want and need, baby," he whispered, kissing Jester quickly as he reached into his pants pocket and retrieved his wallet. He pulled out a card and Jester laughed at the name on it. "Joe Kerr, how clever," she mused, pecking him on the cheek.

"Alright, sweetheart," Scarecrow cooed, coming into the room with the dreaded kit that always catapulted Jester into a full-blown panic. She tensed up and her eyes began leaking tears like a waterfall without her even noticing. She shook violently, sitting back down in her seat and biting her bottom lip until it bled.

"Okay," she rasped, clutching at the arms of her chair for dear life.

"It's alright, songbird," Joker whispered, sitting beside her and holding her hand. "Which arm, baby?"

"Right," Jester croaked, screwing her eyes shut as Scarecrow came close.

"Jesus, way to shred my heart to pieces," Scarecrow muttered. "You're killing me."

"Yeah and in a second you're gonna be killing _me," _Jester whined. She felt the cool, scratchy texture of the alcohol pad he used to clean the spot he'd take from and choked as he pulled a tourniquet tight around her upper arm. She gasped and froze up, sobbing hysterically now, and Scarecrow waited, not wanting to stick her while she was so worked up.

Joker nodded at him, though, and Scarecrow shot him a regretful look before quickly piercing Jester's skin, hitting his mark the first time and quickly filling 5 large tubes. He was done in seconds, pulling the needle back out and reaching behind him for a band-aid. She kept bleeding from the spot and he frowned, noticing her blood was nearly black in color. _Another fascinating thing to test, _he thought.

"Just get it over with already!" Jester cried, her eyes shut tight as she squirmed and cried.

Scarecrow, Joker, Deadshot, Harley, and Ivy burst out laughing at that, causing Jester to open her eyes. She watched as Scarecrow put a piece of cotton over the hole and covered it with a band-aid. "I'm already done, darling," he smiled at her, patting her knee gently. "See?" he held up the 5 vials for her, chuckling.

She wiped her eyes and smiled. "I didn't even feel it," she whispered, sniffling.

"Of course not, my dear. I'm Jonathan Crane! I'm an expert at these things." Scarecrow grinned at her and ruffled her hair. "If anyone needs me, I'll be running some tests in my lab."

"Time to shop!" Harley screeched, running for the grand staircase to grab her laptop from her room.

"Oh, one thing before I go – you need to eat something, littlest clown. I took a lot from you. Stay put until you've eaten and had some water."

"I know," Jester sighed, leaning her head against Joker's shoulder. "I'm already feeling like I'm gonna throw up."

"I've got it," Deadshot said, getting up. "You want one of those salads you always make, kiddo?"

Jester simply nodded, screwing her eyes shut and bracing herself against her chair. Joker moved his chair closer to hers and pulled her close to him, stroking her hair.

* * *

Once Jester finished her spring mix salad and had some tea, she felt a lot better. She sat with Harley and Ivy on the big, comfy black couch in the large living room, wearing her unicorn onesie and matching slippers while they scrolled through a million different items on Amazon, adding everything they liked to the cart.

"Imagine that. A tiny female contract killer, pregnant, dressed in a unicorn onesie and slippers and searching the internet for baby stuff after having a meltdown about getting her blood drawn." Deadshot chuckled where he sat in his armchair by the fireplace, next to another one Joker was currently settled in.

Joker laughed, drawing the girls' attention. "What's so funny?" Jester demanded, shooting him her best death glare. Joker laughed even harder, as well as Deadshot.

"I can't take you seriously in that thing," Joker pointed to her unicorn onesie and motioned to her slippers.

"Next kill I make, I'm wearing this," Jester countered, folding her arms haughtily.

"Next kill?" Joker's smile dropped and he nearly dropped his tumbler of whiskey from his fingers at her statement.

"Yeah, once I've had the baby and I'm back to normal." She was nonchalant, her attention already back on the baby onesies she was looking at.

"Jester..." Joker was growling, uncrossing his legs.

"If you're about to tell me I can't go back to work once I get my body back post-baby, I'll kill you in your fucking sleep, J." She warned him, shooting a scathing look at him. "Don't fucking treat me like an invalid!"

Joker slammed down the rest of his whiskey, saying nothing, and stormed furiously to his study, slamming the door loudly behind him. They heard several glasses shatter, an enraged snarl, and what sounded like a chair smashing against the wall before everything went silent. Jester simply shrugged, ignoring the looks everyone gave her. "Search 'clown onesies', Harls. I wanna see what they've got."

* * *

Many hours later, after setting up the ultrasound machine in a guest room down the hall from the master bedroom with the help of Tommy, Johnny, Deadshot, and Scarecrow, Joker made his way to the master bedroom, hoping to find Jester already asleep.

Sure enough, she was, curled up in a ball in their bed in one of his t shirts that he kept for lounging in. She was wrapped up in the blankets with her hands under her pillow, a frown on her face as she slept. He frowned, creeping over to her side of the bed and carefully sitting down, not wanting to wake her.

It had taken hours for him to calm down after their little argument in the living room. Yes, he knew he was being overprotective and even unreasonable, but having a child would change everything for both of them and he wanted to keep Jester safe no matter what. He didn't care much what happened to him – after all, he had taunted Batman to kill him many, many times. He _did _care, however, what happened to Jester – the baby would need her, their friends would need her, and he couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to her. Yes, he knew she could handle herself and that she was strong and vigilant. Yes, he knew she was more than capable of taking on several opponents at once. Yes, he knew she was very well trained in hand-to-hand combat and with several different weapons, not just firearms. That didn't matter when she was pregnant – he didn't want her in any of those situations in her condition. As far as anything post-baby, he still didn't much like the idea. No, he wouldn't hold her hostage in the house and force her to be the housewife she snapped about earlier, but he didn't want her putting herself in unnecessary danger. He didn't like the idea of her going back to work after giving birth – what if a job went south? What if she was set up and didn't know it? What if Batman took her?

She stirred in her sleep as he stroked her hair and he cursed himself. "J?" She whispered, slowly sitting up in bed. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Nothing," he replied, giving her a small smile. He undid the rest of the buttons of his shirt and stood up, stripping out of it and his shoes, socks, and pants. "I was thinking."

"About?"

"You. Us. The baby. Our arguments."

"And?" She prodded, quirking a brow at him.

"You need to understand where I'm coming from," he began, fixing her with a stern look as he made his way around the room, shutting off all the lights and locking their door before slipping into bed next to her. She smiled at him, curling up into his side as he lay on his back, wrapping an arm around her and folding the other under his head. "The baby will need you more than it will need me. You need to be safe. You need to be around for the kid, especially when it's still a newborn."

"Don't you think I know that?" She huffed, throwing a leg over him.

"I know you know that," he conceded, wanting to avoid another fight. "I just don't like the idea of you going back to work after the baby's born. I'm not gonna hold you hostage here, but there are too many risks. Set-ups, Batman, GCPD..."

"You act like I'd be alone. It's always Harley, Deadshot and I. Sometimes Catwoman and Ivy come along. Now that Tommy's trained and doing better, he can come on some jobs, too. I'm always with someone who's got my back." She sighed, flopping over on her back and folding her hands over her belly. "I still have a life to live whether I'm a mother or not, J."

"I know that," he agreed. "You won't be the only one slowing down. I told you I'd stop everything to help you raise it and to be a good father."

Jester chuckled, looking over at him with a big grin on her face. "I don't want you to," she said matter-of-factly. "I love you the way you are. I wouldn't ever want you to stifle and subdue yourself like that. You've kept yourself alive all these years, and you've always kept me safe – I know you'd keep our baby safe, too. I don't want us to change, I don't want our lifestyle to change – I want us both to be exactly the same, just... _parents. _You forget how many of us there are here – how much help we'll have. Ironic, really, since you're the one who reminded me of that little fact in the first place."

Joker ran his hands down his face, slipping one over hers. "I can't run a strip club, this mansion, be in charge of 50 guys, handle the Funhouse, rob banks, fight the Bat family, _and _be a father, Jester."

"Sounds like the ever-so-vain and arrogant Joker is becoming a pussy," Jester drawled, giving him a dirty look. "_That_ Joker certainly isn't the father of _my _child.

"Oh-ho-ho," Joker chuckled, looking down at her. "Tell me, what Joker _is_?"

"My fierce, unforgiving, callous, proud, vain, arrogant, handsome, funny, frightening, violent, genius and multi-persona-having Joker is," Jester said proudly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "The Joker I met my first night in Arkham when I was bathed in my ex boyfriend's blood."

"I like that guy," Joker mused, looking thoughtful. "I heard he dresses extremely well."

"Oh, that he does," she agreed, giggling. "He's also super rich. Drives a purple Lambo, wears lots of jewelry, spoils me senseless."

"Does he?" Joker whispered, carefully crawling on top of her. His blue eyes bore into her aqua green ones and he licked his lips as he looked at her, unable to resist pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Oh yeah," Jester muttered, kissing him back. "He's batshit insane, but I love him."

"Lucky guy," Joker growled, nipping at her throat. He grinned when a moan escaped her lips and he licked over the same spot, soothing the sting. "You forgot one thing, my Queen," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver underneath him.

"What's that?" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"He fucks you like an animal," he growled, sinking his teeth into her shoulder.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** I don't own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.

**CAUTION: LEMON & TRIGGER AHEAD. **

* * *

The next morning, Joker and Jester were jarred awake by a sharp, insistent knock on their bedroom door. Jester groaned, curling closer to Joker and burying her face in his chest as he growled. "Go away," he snapped, throwing a pillow at the door.

"I would, but it's important," Scarecrow's voice was calm and smooth despite his insistent knocking. "I ran tests all night – you need to hear this."

Jester opened her eyes and looked up at Joker, meeting his eyes. "It must be about the baby," she whispered, her voice thick with sleep. Joker nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Alright," Joker sighed. "We'll meet you downstairs."

"Actually," Scarecrow chirped, "Tommy and Catwoman found you guys a gynecologist – she's in the other room down the hall, ready to examine Jester after I tell you about my discovery."

"Dammit," Jester growled, her mood going to shit. "I hate those broads. I am _not _in the mood to have the Duckbill of Doom shoved up my twat!"

Joker burst out laughing, quirking a brow at her as he slipped out of bed and made his way to the closet, pulling out her purple and black robe and making his way over to her side of the bed with it. As he wrapped her up in it and tied it securely around her waist, she explained.

"The Duckbill of Doom – that's what I call that stupid fucking metal thing they jam up my crotch to keep me open." Jester shuddered hard as she recalled it, clamping her legs together. "I _hate _that thing!"

"You mean the speculum, baby?" Joker was laughing, unable to help himself. He thought about the tool she was talking about and could see why she called it that – it _did _resemble a duckbill.

"Yeah, that fucking thing. I hate it. It _hurts! _They always scold me for crying and writhing on the table in pain," her face screwed up in an expression of rage and disgust. "'Take deep breaths,' 'stop moving so much!' Fucking bitches – I have internal damage! Scar tissue! Those examinations _hurt!" _

Jester was up and on her feet, pacing around the room and motioning animatedly with her hands as she ranted. "They shove that god damn thing up thereafter shoving two fingers loaded up with COLD lube in my twat as if that's any kind of preparation at all. Yeah, gee, thanks for the prep Doc! My cold, lube-loaded vagina is THRILLED with this experience! I'll give ya 5 stars on Yelp! And then I've gotta walk outta there with puffy red eyes, lube dripping down my thighs as I walk, and pretend I still have any kind of dignity as the receptionists just stare at me."

"Jesus," Joker muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Sounds like a fucking nightmare – are you sure they aren't using Scaredy-crow's fear toxin on ya?"

"Not funny," Jester spat, pouting at him.

Joker chuckled, making his way over to her and pulling her into his arms. He kissed her temple, smoothing her hair back. "I'm sorry, princess," he cooed. "You wanna go hear what Scaredy-crow's gotta say? I'm 100% sure _he _isn't gonna do any invasive exams."

Jester nodded, sighing. "I need coffee, baby."

"You got it, princess." Joker leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips before going to the closet and pulling on a pair of black sweatpants and stepping into his black slippers. He didn't bother with a shirt, crossing the room to the door and stepping out of the room, heading downstairs to make Jester her coffee the way he knew she liked it. He passed Scarecrow on his way to the staircase and nodded at him, not awake enough for a conversation just yet.

Scarecrow poked his head into the open doorway of the bedroom, catching Jester's eye. "Good morning, littlest clown," he chirped, giving her a winning smile. "Why the long face?"

"I'm a sad noodle," she pouted, coming over to hug him. Scarecrow chuckled, the vibration of it soothing her just a little as her head rested against his chest.

"Noodle?" Scarecrow asked.

"Spongebob," Jester answered. "It's a TV show for kids but there's quite a lot of adult humor in it."

"Is that the one with the dumb starfish and the angry octopus?" Scarecrow asked, releasing Jester from the hug and escorting her down the hallway to the room the gyno and the ultrasound machine were in by her elbow – always a proper gentleman.

"Yes!" She answered, a little excited that he knew what she was talking about.

"It's quite humorous," Scarecrow supplied. "I've seen some episodes. Now, why are you a _sad_ _noodle_?"

"I don't want the Duckbill of Doom shoved up my crotch," She answered grumpily.

Scarecrow stopped walking, turning to face her. "Do I want to know?" he asked, tilting his head at her

Jester laughed. "Just ask Joker what I mean," she supplied, giggling a little. "I'm just cranky and I hate going to the gyno."

Scarecrow nodded. "I think I know what you're talking about," he said. "I don't think I want to probe any further – no pun intended."

They both burst out laughing at that, Jester's foul mood dissipating instantly. Joker came back up the stairs with two coffee mugs in his hands, one for Jester and one for himself. "What's so funny?" he mused, handing Jester her coffee – he put it in her favorite mug, a raccoon mug whose tail was the handle.

"Scarecrow made a hilarious pun about the Duckbill of Doom," Jester wheezed, kissing Joker's cheek in thanks for the coffee.

"_I'm_ the Joker, buddy," Joker teased, nudging Scarecrow with his elbow. "I make the jokes around here."

"Didn't mean to steal your thunder," Scarecrow said, nodding towards the guest room. "Shall we?"

Jester sighed, pouting again and dragging her feet as they entered the room. She clutched her coffee mug close to her chest as she settled herself on the examination table, glaring at the stirrups for her feet.

"Hello, Jester. I'm Doctor Davis," Jester turned her head towards the voice and eyed the woman closely. She was young, just a little older than Jester, and looked friendly enough despite her obvious terror from being in the same room as three Rogues and, Jester assumed, being held hostage. She was around 5'8", curvy, with long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had tan skin, a rounder face, almond-shaped eyes, and thin lips. She had a 'girl next door' look to her that Jester would've been pissed off about if she ever felt insecure in her relationship with Joker.

"Hi," Jester responded curtly, gulping her coffee. "You here to stick all kinds of stuff up my crotch?"

Doctor Davis laughed, forgetting about the Joker who stood about two feet to her right for a moment. "Oh, goodness no," she responded. "I'll have to do an invasive ultrasound since you're so early in your pregnancy, but I won't be using a clamp or a speculum. Is that alright?"

Jester nodded. "Yeah, I've had a few of those before, they're not so bad. Just don't use that god damn metal shit on me."

Doctor Davis gave her a big smile. "Pinky promise," she said, holding out her hand with all her fingers curled into her fist except her pinky. Jester smiled a little at her, catching her pinky with her own and twisting them.

"You pinky promised, Doc, you can't break it. Those promises are sacred." Jester liked the woman – she was calm, funny, and charming, and it made Jester feel a little less anxious and upset.

"Indeed," Doctor Davis agreed. "Before we get to our examination, I believe Doctor Crane has some news for you."

Scarecrow grinned at her use of his professional name, shooting the woman a wink. "I like her," he said to Joker, chuckling as the Joker simply glared at the woman and moved to stand at Jester's side.

"Get on with it," Joker drawled, draping an arm around Jester and kissing the top of her head. "What'd you wake us up for?"

Scarecrow pulled up a chair, sitting down at Jester's other side and he pulled her free hand into his, fixing her with a serious look. "I'm glad you're sitting down for this." He took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly to calm himself before he continued. "I ran tests on your blood all night long. The first interesting thing I found is that it is black. The second is that it's toxic – as much as the Joker's, I'd say. I tested several subjects with it, ranging from flies to mice. Each subject died instantly when they were injected with it." He looked into Jester's eyes, trying to gauge her reaction to what he told her so far. Her face was deadpanned, so was Joker's. He had their attention, but no reactions... _yet._

"You are certainly pregnant – and from what I can tell, the baby is fine. I believe it has the same toxic blood that you do. With that said, I also noticed a very, very high white blood cell count in your blood. Levels that mirror those that sick people would have – terminally ill people. It seems like the chemicals in your body from Ace have caused your body to go into a frenzy trying to protect itself – but the chemicals are _not_ hurting you. Your organs are fine. Your liver is fine, and if you were having issues with your kidneys, your heart, your lungs, or your stomach, we all would have noticed by now." He was still looking Jester right in the eye, building up to his final point and theory.

"Jester, what I'm saying is this – I believe your pregnancy is developing much faster than the average woman's, and my theory is that your body's reaction to the chemicals is the reason. Your white blood cells are constantly trying to 'heal you' even though the chemicals aren't poisoning or killing you, and I think that they're doing the same to protect the baby."

"What do you mean?" Jester asked, her brows furrowed in her slight confusion. Joker was putting two and two together in his head, coming to the conclusion faster than Jester and before Scarecrow could answer.

"Jester – remember yesterday? The bruises on your throat?" Joker winced at the memory of him choking her the way he had, bruising and hurting her, but it was imperative to his explanation to bring it up. Jester simply nodded, focusing on him. "They healed within a couple of short hours. Your body heals fast – just like mine does. I told you I've survived explosions, gunshot wounds, crashes, drowning, and other things that should've killed me... it's because of the chemicals. They made me stronger and I heal very, very fast. On top of that, my pain threshold is incredibly high – I barely feel pain. This means you're the same." A look of realization came over Jester's face and he smiled at her before turning his attention to Scarecrow.

"I think what Scaredy-crow is trying to say is that because your body is constantly healing itself and trying to fight off the chemicals in your blood, it's also fast-forwarding your pregnancy... making the baby much more developed than it should be. Am I right?" Joker quirked a brow at Scarecrow, taking a sip of his coffee.

Scarecrow nodded. "My theory, darling, is that you are much further along than just two weeks. At two weeks you shouldn't be able to tell at all that you're pregnant – you should be getting your period, as usual, not showing any signs or symptoms... yet you took 3 tests that all came up positive. I believe, at this point, that you could very well be somewhere between 6 and 8 weeks pregnant."

Jester just blinked, taking another gulp of her coffee and not saying a word. She didn't know _what _to say. It made sense. She noticed that she didn't feel pain at all – unless Joker was inflicting it, and that was usually in the bedroom. She was stronger than she used to be, that was for sure, and she couldn't remember the last time she got sick or even sniffled since her chemical bath. She hadn't noticed her bruises healing so quickly yesterday – there was way too much going on. Thinking about it now, she recalled how she had split her head open falling out of the chemical vat that fateful night at Ace and how it had already healed by the next day. Her concussion didn't last very long at all.

"I see," was all she said once she could muster up any words. "Makes sense."

Doctor Davis had been listening intently to the entire conversation, her jaw dropped in absolute shock. "Are you _sure_?" She asked Scarecrow, giving him an incredulous look.

"Why, Doctor Davis, that's what _you're _here for. This is just my theory – it's up to you to prove it." Scarecrow gave the woman a small smile and chuckled as she visibly shuddered.

"Don't worry, Doc," Joker drawled. "We aren't gonna hurt ya – not as long as you're good to my princess here." He shot her a death glare at that, grinning as she chewed nervously at her bottom lip and her hands shook. "I'm sure you can understand why you'll need to be staying here during the entire length of Jester's pregnancy. No home visits. No phone calls to friends and family. No errand running. You'll be set up in a guest room and you will be treated as a proper guest." She tensed a little at that, finally realizing what a horrible situation she ended up in – held hostage by the Joker, in his mansion, with several other Rogues and playing Doctor to Joker's _pregnant girlfriend. _

"O-Okay," she stuttered, nodding feverishly. "Whatever you want. I'll take good care of Jester, I swear it."

Joker grinned at her, cocking his head to the side. "I can tell ya meant that," he growled. "You're a smart girl, Doc, I'm sure I don't need to tell you what I'll do to you if you hurt my girl or my baby."

She nodded again, not saying a word, shaking more violently as she stood against the wall.

"Let's get this show on the road," Jester quipped, glaring at Joker – a silent warning to be nice to the Doctor. She took one more gulp of her coffee before handing it to Joker.

He set both mugs down on a table behind him and held Jester's hand, looking at Doctor Davis. "What now?" he asked, waiting patiently.

"I need her to strip from the waist down and put her feet in the stirrups. I'm going to do the ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy and how far along she is."

Joker looked over at Scarecrow who was already bowing out of the room. "Call me if you need me," he said, shutting the door behind him when he left.

Jester sighed, bending to pull off her panties from under her robe. "Good to go, Doc," she said miserably hitching up her robe.

Doctor Davis nodded, carefully lowering the table Jester sat on so she was laying down. Before she could say anything, Jester scooted down the table and put her feet in the stirrups, taking a deep breath.

"I _hate _the words 'strip' and 'scoot' when I'm getting an exam at the gyno," Jester said scathingly, glaring up at the ceiling as Doctor Davis prepared her for the ultrasound. "They're like trigger words for me – I have panic attacks and cry when I hear them. Just a little something to keep in mind for future reference."

"I understand," Doctor Davis said kindly, smiling up at Jester before sliding her chair closer. "Take a deep breath for me, Jester. I'm sure you're already aware of this, but I'm gonna remind you anyway – this will be pretty cold and uncomfortable for a minute."

Jester nodded and took a deep breath, her eyebrows knitting together as Doctor Davis inserted the ultrasound wand slowly and carefully. Joker watched carefully, still holding Jester's hand, making sure the Doctor wasn't going to hurt Jester or cause her any distress.

Jester's head whipped around to the screen on the machine as she heard a familiar noise – one she hadn't heard in years. "Is that...?" Her voice cracked as she asked the question, her grip on Joker's hand tightening.

"The baby's heartbeat, yes," Doctor Davis smiled at her, trying her best to ignore the feral look on Joker's face. "You're about 8 weeks, Jester. It's healthy. Look here," she pointed to a very small object on the screen, one that resembled a little bean. "That's your baby."

Jester bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes, inhaling sharply. "Oh my god," she murmured, looking closer. Doctor Davis used her free hand to wheel the screen closer to Jester so she could better see the baby. "J – that's it. That's the baby," Jester wasn't able to hold her tears back anymore, she was openly weeping as she pointed at the image.

Joker was stoic, his expression completely unreadable as he looked at the little bean on the monitor. "That's the sound of its heartbeat?" he asked calmly, staring at the monitor like his life depended on it.

"Yes," Doctor Davis said, eyeing him as he watched.

"A moment, Doc?" Joker asked politely, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Sure," she said. She took snapshots of the baby very quickly, setting them to print. "I have to take this out – when I do, you won't hear the heartbeat anymore or see it," she explained, leveling the Joker with a serious look.

"A moment longer, then," he muttered, putting his free hand up to stay her. "I want to listen."

Jester sobbed, covering her face with her free hand as she cried. "I can't believe it," she sobbed. "There's a _baby _inside me, J. Look what we did!"

Joker squeezed her hand, caressing the skin on the back of it with his thumb. "I know," he whispered. "We did pretty good, huh?"

A watery laugh escaped Jester and she pulled her hand away from her face. She looked back at the monitor and sniffled, listening to the heartbeat closely as she looked at the baby on the screen.

"Alright, Doc," Joker said, looking at her. "I'll let ya know when to come back in."

Doctor Davis nodded, carefully pulling the ultrasound wand from Jester. She handed Jester a few wipes and a fresh, clean towel. "Here, hun." She gave her an understanding look before standing from her seat and excusing herself from the room, waiting down the hall a short distance from the room to give them privacy.

Once she was gone, Jester broke out into full-blown hysterics, grabbing Joker and yanking him close to her. "It's got a heartbeat," she cried, burying her wet face in the crook of his neck. Joker cupped the back of her neck and carefully settled himself down next to her on the table, pulling her close to him.

"I know, baby. Sounds strong, doesn't it?" He grinned at her, resting his head on top of hers. "Are ya happy?"

"I'm ecstatic," she breathed. "Are _you _happy?" She looked up into his face and noticed that _his _eyes were watery, too.

"Thrilled," he replied, staring down at her belly. "I've never heard anything like that before in my life."

"It's a beautiful sound," Jester whispered. "Really beautiful."

"It is," he agreed, kissing the top of her head. "8 weeks huh?"

Jester frowned, her eyebrows furrowing as she did the math. "It doesn't make sense, baby. 8 weeks... I should only be 2 weeks... does this mean it's growing 4 times as fast as it should be?"

Joker stiffened at that, pulling her closer to him. "Impossible," he muttered, sifting through the timeline of their relationship in his head. He went back to the first day they ever had sex – that day in her car, in the parking garage – and skimmed through each day after that to the present. "We got the math wrong, princess." He chuckled, looking down at her. "The first time we had sex was about 4 weeks ago, putting you at 2 times faster."

"Holy shit, you're right," her eyes widened with the realization. "This baby is growing 2 times faster than the average baby. I'm gonna be _huge _soon!"

They both burst out laughing at that, imagining Jester as small as she is with a big belly, nearly toppling over whenever she moved. "Oh, baby," Joker chuckled, "looks like I'll have to carry you everywhere we go."

"I'm not complaining," she teased, pressing a kiss to his throat.

"This means I knocked you up the first time we had sex," Joker mused. "Look at me go! Right past your birth control and into your womb."

"Well, aren't you just so proud of yourself?" Jester teased, tapping his nose with her finger. "You and your super sperm better calm down – I don't wanna do this more than once, you know!"

"No, definitely not more than once," Joker agreed. "You cry too much when you're pregnant."

Jester smacked his arm and laughed, pulling his head down to hers for a kiss. Joker cupped her face in his hands, kissing her deeply for a few moments and taking his fill of her before breaking it off.

"Let's clean you up, little bird," he murmured, untying her robe and spreading it open so he could take a look. "Up," he commanded, pointing to her legs. She did as he bade, sitting up with him and leaning against his arm as she pulled her legs up. "Good girl," he purred, unwrapping one of the wipes and carefully cleaning her up. He threw that one into the garbage in the corner, unwrapping a second wipe and getting the rest of the lube that continued to leak from her. "You weren't kidding, they use a _lot_ of this shit."

Jester sighed and nodded, leaning her head back against his shoulder as he gently and carefully cleaned her up. Once he was done with a third wipe he took the fresh, clean towel and carefully dried the skin of her thighs and pat her down, wiping up the rest of the slimy, sticky film that the lube and wipes left between her legs. He pulled her robe together, tying it nicely and smoothing it down over her legs before pressing another kiss to her lips. "I love you," he whispered. "Thank you."

"I love _you_," she whispered back, nuzzling his nose. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Because Jester – I'm the guy who kills people by the thousands. I _take _lives. I've never once _created _one – never even thought about it. Yet here we are, a part of me is growing inside of you and I'm _happy." _He grinned at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I did something good."

"You've done a lot of good things, my love," Jester cooed. "You just choose not to remember or acknowledge them. You're a good man, J – at least, you are to me. To our friends... to my cousin, and even to my nephew." She grinned at him and lay back down on the table. "I'm hungry."

Joker laughed, getting up from the table and crossing the room to the door, opening it. "Doctor Davis –" he glanced back into the room and smiled at Jester, "Mommy's hungry and I've gotta get her fed. Have you eaten?"

Doctor Davis was floored at Joker's polite and friendly demeanor, her mouth dropping open in her shock. She realized after a moment that she was just gawking at the Clown Prince of Crime and snapped her mouth shut, giving him a polite nod. "I haven't, actually," she squeaked, slowly making her way back towards the room.

Joker nodded. "Meet us in the dining room... down the stairs on the main floor, take a right and you'll see a red door – that's the one."

Doctor Davis nodded and made her way to the grand staircase, careful to hold onto the banister as she went, not wanting to fall.

"Let's get you showered and dressed, baby," Joker picked Jester up in his arms and carried her out of the room, heading for the master bedroom.

"No, no, no, no, _no," _Jester whined, pouting at him. "Breakfast and more coffee first... _please. _I wanna take a nice hot bath after breakfast and then take a nap."

Joker chuckled, kissing her nose. "Anything for you," he singsonged, carrying her carefully down the stairs.

* * *

After breakfast, a long bath, and a hot shower, Jester snuggled up in bed with Karma and Hades to take a nap while Joker called a meeting in his downstairs study with Scarecrow. Doctor Davis was downstairs in the large living room with Deadshot, Tommy, Harley, Catwoman, and Johnny. Poison Ivy had excused herself to go spend the day in the greenhouse, tending to her 'babies' and gathering up ingredients for different teas to make for Jester to help her along during her pregnancy.

"I know that look," Scarecrow mused, sitting across from Joker in a comfortable leather chair. He had one leg crossed over the other, his arms draped lazily over the arms of the chair. Joker was leaning forward in his chair, his chin resting on his folded hands on top of his desk. "You're up to no good."

Joker grinned at him, mischief sparkling in his blue eyes. "Indeed," he confirmed. "The Arkham breakout _inspired _me. My venom and your toxin affected everyone in the building, but _separately_, and it got me thinking," he stood from his seat and began pacing around the office. Scarecrow could practically see the wheels turning in Joker's head as he moved, that oh-so-familiar calculating look on the Clown Prince's face. Joker suddenly stopped his pacing and came to stand in front of Scarecrow, a serious look on his pale face. "What if we combined my venom and your toxin – or created a hybrid version of the two?"

Scarecrow smirked, leaning back in his seat as he regarded the Joker. "You're talking about two very different effects..." he stroked his chin in thought, his brows furrowed in concentration. "My fear toxin puts people into a nightmare state, bringing their worst fears to the forefront of their minds and making them come alive. Your venom drives people insane, causing them to become delirious and hysterical as they die. Combining the two – well, it would be difficult, and the result is unpredictable."

Joker grinned, leaning back against his desk and bracing his hands on the edge of it. "Imagine this – a hybrid of the two that replaces their screams of terror with delirious laughter, mentally torturing and traumatizing them as they laugh themselves to death. _And,_" his grin widened as he built up to his final point, "Batsy wouldn't be able to fight it. He's immune to our tactics and our weapons with his fancy little gadgets – he wouldn't be expecting it. He'd have to take the time to break the formula and its components down to create an antidote or some other kind of countermeasure for it."

Scarecrow smiled. "I like the idea," he mused, leaning forward in his seat. "I'll do you one better – we can bring Poison Ivy in on this, make a super-hybrid of your venom, my toxin, and her poison. Triple threat."

"I like it," Joker chuckled, running a hand through his slicked-back green hair. "With Jester pregnant, I need to make sure she'll be safe from Batsy _and_ his little friends."

"I agree," Scarecrow was serious now, realizing the real reason behind Joker's plan. "I don't trust that he wouldn't harm her or the baby... I _definitely _don't trust that little brat Robin."

Joker nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "They're probably already hunting us down, wanting to ship us back to Arkham as soon as possible. The others won't hold the Bat off for too long – not even Bane. Normally I wouldn't mind going a few rounds with ol' Batsy, but I can't risk it with Jester in her condition."

Scarecrow nodded in agreement. "I have a feeling he'll be locking us up in Blackgate after two Arkham escapes within 6 months. We should take measures to make sure that doesn't happen."

Joker laughed gleefully, following Scarecrow's train of thought. "I like the way you think, Straw Man," he purred, lighting up a cigarette for himself as he settled back into his chair. "Let's have some fun."

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Harley was staring at the new henchmen – and henchwoman – as they milled about the Funhouse, fixing things up and cleaning. She thought she recognized a few of them but wasn't certain – all of them had clown paint on their faces, but a handful of them were dressed like they came straight from a circus. She shifted her gaze to Deadshot, Tommy, and Johnny, raising an eyebrow.

"The creepy ones over there," Deadshot rudely pointed at the circus group, earning himself a nasty glare from the Victorian dressed woman with the ratty, mangy toy poodle, "were Penguin's old squad – those circus freaks that were kidnapping kids or whatever."

"Does Joker know about that? I'm pretty sure he ain't gonna want no kidnappers around..." Harley glared back at the Victorian woman, giving her a nasty little growl and flexing her bat in her hand. "Get back to work ya creepo!" She snapped. The group of circus freaks moved along, heading towards the circus tent on the grounds.

"They're well aware they'll be pumped full of lead if they step out of line," Johnny assured Harley. "On top of that, they'll never be anywhere but here. They don't know where any of the other places are and they never will."

Harley nodded, blowing a big bubble with her gum and loudly popping it.

Tommy was off to the side, watching all the other henchmen like a hawk, his hand on the gun he had holstered in his pants. "I don't like any of these fuckers," he muttered, glaring at a couple of henchmen that seemed to be slacking off. The two men quickly walked away, heading back to their designated work area. "I don't trust 'em either. I don't want any of 'em around my little cousin."

Johnny and Deadshot nodded. "They won't be," Deadshot assured him. "If they come around her, I'll put 'em down."

"Who's watchin' the broad?" Harley asked, slowly making her way around the grounds of the long-abandoned amusement park. She grinned at all the empty vendor stands for games and food and took her time inspecting everything – for such a big, decrepit place, the henchmen were making pretty good progress with the repairs and restoration.

Deadshot laughed, keeping close to her. "Joker is home. Scarecrow, Ivy, and Selena are there too. The Doc ain't goin' nowhere."

"She seems nice," Harley chirped, skipping around with her bat held securely over her shoulders.

"Of course she does," Johnny laughed. "She knows she'll be tortured if she isn't."

"That's kinda rude, doncha think? I mean, she seems like she's nice, and she's terrified!" Harley glared at Johnny and waggled a finger at him in scolding. "If she's gonna be stayin' with us for a while, we should be nice to her."

The guys simply nodded at her, indulging her as they made their way around the entire amusement park, making sure the henchmen were all doing what they were supposed to and things were going as planned.

* * *

Joker made his way upstairs after a couple of hours to check on Jester – he knew her naps usually lasted around 3 hours, but he was restless and missed her. He entered their bedroom and grinned at the sight that greeted him – Jester was sprawled out on her back, her hair all over the place, the bedsheet tangled around her legs and both dogs laying on either side of her with their heads resting on her belly. Karma and Hades perked up as he came closer and he put a finger to his lips to keep them quiet. Once he reached the foot of the bed, he carefully gripped the sheet that was tangled around Jester's legs and pulled it away from her. He licked his crimson lips as he raked his eyes over her nearly naked form – she was only wearing a hot pink bra and a matching pair of panties.

He dismissed the dogs with a flick of his wrist, crawling carefully up Jester's body and caging her sleeping form between his arms as he held himself up over her. "Princess," he purred, leaning down and trailing soft kisses from her jawline to the base of her throat, unable to help himself. She didn't stir at all, groaning a little and furrowing her eyebrows in her sleep. He chuckled, slowly settling himself on top of her, and tangled his hands in her hair. "Dollface," he cooed, trying once again to wake her. She still didn't stir, barely even moving beneath him. "You could sleep through the fucking apocalypse," he whispered, trailing the tip of his tongue up the column of her throat. "Have it your way, baby."

He slithered down her body, stopping when his mouth was hovering over her pink panties. He teasingly stroked her through the fabric of them, grinning when he felt the dampness in them. He continued to stroke her like that for a few minutes, his mouth hanging slightly open as he stared up at her face, watching her lips quirk up into a tiny smile as he worked. He was hard as a rock in his sweatpants, straining against them as he stroked her. He lifted his hips just enough and stripped off his sweatpants and boxers, tossing them to the floor before settling back down between Jester's thighs. He decided to leave her panties on and simply pulled them to the side so he could slide his tongue between her wet folds and taste her. He moaned against her, gripping her thigh tightly in his free hand. He licked her slowly, teasingly, taking his time tasting her and building up her arousal. She was still fast asleep, moaning so quietly he barely heard her. He chuckled, realizing she must've been having a sex dream at this point, and decided to up the ante. He slowly inserted two fingers in her, lapping at her as he worked.

"_Oh_," she moaned, her eyes still closed. She spread her legs, still not waking up from her slumber, and Joker groaned at the sight of her spread before him. He hooked his fingers in the hem of her panties and pulled them down as carefully as he could, tossing them to the floor once he had gotten them off. He spread her open with his thumbs, dragging the tip of his tongue up her slit and flicking it against her clit a few times before sucking it into his mouth and gently biting it. He felt her fist in his hair and moaned, sending vibrations through her body, and slipped two fingers back inside of her. "Fuck," Jester breathed, arching her hips up slightly and pulling his head closer to her by his hair. He opened his eyes and looked up, noticing her eyes slowly opening and the puzzled look on her face. He didn't stop his ministrations or say anything, continuing to suck and lap at her pussy as she slowly got her bearings.

"Baby? What are you – _oh_, oh my _god_!" Joker felt Jester's muscles clamp down on his fingers and sucked hard on her clit before releasing it and lapping at every inch of her that his tongue could reach, slipping a third finger inside her. "Shhhh," he whispered, meeting her eyes and grinning at her. "Just relax, little bird."

She sat up as far as she could, frantically grabbing at his shoulders and digging her nails into his skin. "I need you," she whined, tossing her head back as he fucked her with his fingers.

"Say the magic words," he growled, slowing his movements.

"I need you to fuck me," she tried again.

He shook his head, pulling his fingers out of her and jamming them in her mouth, licking his lips as she gagged on them and licked them clean. "Wrong," he scolded, crawling his way up the bed and kneeling beside her. "Try again."

"I know what you want me to say," Jester's voice was low and husky, laced with her arousal. She smirked at Joker, reaching over and gripping his hard cock in her hand, casually squeezing and jerking it.

"So say it," Joker commanded, his eyes blazing with his lust.

"Make me," Jester purred, grinning wickedly at him.

"Bitch," he hissed, grabbing her by the hair and shoving his cock in her mouth. "Open wide."

She did as he said, opening her mouth wide and taking as much of him as she could, gagging as he forced his way down her throat. He threw his head back, running his free hand through his green hair and laughed. "Such a good little slut," he cooed, thrusting into her mouth and gagging her again.

She nodded, humming her agreement. He growled at the vibration it caused, snapping his head back down and catching her gaze with his. "Take it," he snarled, burying himself to the hilt in her mouth. He tightened his grip on her hair, forcing her to stay still as he held her there, ignoring the tears that ran down her face and her lack of oxygen. He finally released her once she had turned red, grinning as she coughed and spluttered and saliva ran down her chin. "So filthy," he mused, licking his lips at her. Her eyes were half-lidded, glistening with her want, and her mouth was hanging slightly open. He traced her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb before shoving it into her mouth and caressing her tongue with it, enjoying how eagerly she closed her lips around it and sucked on it. "_Good_ _girl_."

Joker removed his thumb from her mouth and reached around her back, unclasping her bra and pulling it off, throwing it to the floor. "Tell me what I wanna hear," he purred, leaning down and flicking his tongue against one of her pebbled nipples, teasing her.

"Nope," she crooned, smirking cockily at him.

Joker snarled again, wrapping a hand around her throat and choking her. "You want me to punish you, don't you?"

She nodded, licking her lips teasingly at him. He laughed, settling himself between her legs and rubbing the head of his cock up and down her soaking wet slit. Jester moaned, arching her back and rubbing herself against him, trying to impale herself on his cock. He pulled away from her at the last second, tsking at her.

"You wanted punishment, remember?" he whispered, roughly flipping her over on her belly. "If you make a single sound or cum before I tell you to, I'll shove it in your ass, you understand?"

She nodded, spreading her legs for him and putting her face in the pillow. Joker laughed wickedly, impaling her in one thrust and fucking her hard and fast, listening carefully to make sure she wasn't making any noise. He was proud of her when he heard nothing, just her ragged, quickened breaths. "On your knees," he barked, lifting her hips and pulling out of her. She did as he bade, getting up on her hands and knees and keeping her legs spread as far apart as she could for him. He bit his bottom lip at the sight of her sweet, naked little ass poking up in the air and sank his teeth into her ass cheek without warning, biting hard enough to draw blood. She still didn't make any noise, and he grinned. He slipped one hand underneath her, gripping her throat tightly in it and choking her as he slapped her other ass cheek as hard as he could, giggling when she still refused to make a single sound. He did it two more times, torn between disappointment and amusement as she continued to stay quiet. He wondered if he could trick her into speaking or making a sound and decided to give it a shot.

"You want me?" he growled in her ear, teasing her opening with the head of his cock once again.

Smart girl that she was, she simply nodded, biting hard on her bottom lip.

He choked her harder, slightly miffed that she hadn't fallen for it, and slowly inched his way inside her. He watched her face carefully, one hand still wrapped around her throat and the other tugging her head backward by her hair so he could see her. She bit her bottom lip so hard she drew blood when he thrust inside her, burying himself as deep as he could go. Still, she didn't make a single sound. He glared at her, determined to break her resolve, and began fucking her hard, deliberately pulling out of her and slamming back into her on each thrust. When that didn't work, he put his hand between her shoulder blades and pushed her down, keeping her ass high in the air as he fucked her faster. He stopped for a moment, sure that he heard her hiss into the pillow. "Did my princess just make a noise?" he taunted, grabbing her by the hair and yanking her up until her body was flush against his. He looked into her face and was immediately alarmed when he caught sight of the tears streaming down her face and the fear in her eyes.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he pulled out of her and released her hair, twice as bewildered and confused when she scrambled away from him, violently shaking, and fell backward off the bed. She said nothing, looking terrified and feral, and crawled frantically to the bathroom as if she was being chased. Once she was inside the bathroom, she slammed the door and he heard the lock click. Seconds later, the faucet was turned on full blast and he heard her whimper before something in the bathroom crashed. There were a few moments of silence, and he used them to find his sweatpants and tug them back on before making his way to the bathroom door, pressing his ear to it to listen. Just as he opened his mouth to ask her what was going on, he heard her scream and the shuffling of what sounded like her hands and knees or feet on the floor, heading towards the corner. When the shuffling stopped, the screaming began – shrill screams of pure terror that caused him to shudder.

"Jester – what's going on, princess? What happened? Is it me? Is it something I did or said?" His voice cracked slightly as his fear overpowered him.

"**DON'T**!" she screamed, and he heard something shatter inside the bathroom – it sounded like glass. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Another shattering noise, another scream, another few shuffles.

Before he could process what could be happening in the bathroom, the bedroom door was kicked in so hard it slammed into the wall and shook the room. He whipped his head around, ready to kill whoever just burst into his bedroom like that until his eyes landed on several enraged, concerned, and terrified faces. Scarecrow, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Harley, Deadshot, Tommy, and Johnny were all in the doorway, staring at Joker as he stood at the bathroom door, looking flabbergasted.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Catwoman seethed, glaring accusingly at Joker.

Joker put his hands up in a show of surrender. "Relax, furball. I have no fucking idea. This came out of nowhere."

"I don't think you need me to tell you those are screams of pure terror," Scarecrow whispered, slowly approaching Joker. He pressed his ear to the door and his eyes widened as an inhuman, strangled scream ripped from Jester and echoed in the bathroom. "She's crying," he observed, catching a very quiet sob and sniffle from her. "Something's happening in her mind."

"Did you let your fucking gas loose?" Tommy was livid, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

Deadshot came forward and put a hand on Tommy's shoulder, reigning him in.

"You know she's immune to that shit," Deadshot reminded him, nodding at Scarecrow.

"What happened, Mistah J? What were ya doin' before... well, before _this?" _Harley was twirling her pigtails in her fingers, a thoughtful look plastered on her pale face.

"I think it's quite obvious what they were up to..." Poison Ivy sauntered into the room, settling herself down on the bench at the end of the bed. "That must be what triggered whatever this is."

Joker ran his hands through his hair, lolling his head back and wincing as another scream came from the bathroom. He could hear her sobbing now – she was hysterically crying from the sounds of it.

"She's talking," Scarecrow muttered, putting up a finger in a silent request for quiet. "She's saying '_don't touch me' _over and over. Does that mean anything to you?" He looked at the Joker and met his eyes, raising an eyebrow at him.

Joker shrugged. "Only time she said that to me was in the vat at Ace Chemicals when she was furious with me – I hadn't touched her or done anything. I had jumped into the vat after her and was trying to help her out and she screamed that at me, then told me she hated me and never wanted to see me again."

"But this happened during sex?" Poison Ivy asked candidly, examining her nails.

Tommy groaned, running his hands down his face. "For the love of _God_," he muttered, turning red.

"It's important to know these details," Catwoman supplied, rubbing Tommy's back reassuringly.

"If you _must _know," Joker growled, rolling his eyes, "yes. We were in the middle of it and all of a sudden she made this hissing noise... when I pulled her up to look at her, she was crying and looked terrified." He ignored the nasty glare Poison Ivy shot him and continued. "I _released _her, and then she was shaking and scrambling away from me, fell off the bed, and crawled to the bathroom away from me as if I was going to chase her. She locked herself in and from what I can tell, I think she's been breaking things. She's just been _screaming._"

"Let me talk to her," Deadshot slowly approached the bathroom door. "I'm used to her trauma and her meltdowns. I can help her."

"Must it always be you? She's having _my _child, _I_ should be the one helping her." Joker glared at Deadshot and folded his arms over his chest, leaning back against the bathroom door as if to challenge Deadshot to try and open it.

Deadshot sighed, rubbing his head. "Listen, man, I'm not trying to step on your toes. This is something you haven't seen before, and I haven't been physically around for before – I know how to handle her when she gets like this. You will, too, but you and I both know you'll do a lot more harm than good going in there without any idea at all what to do."

"Wait a minute," Joker put up a hand and Deadshot stopped his movements, standing just a foot away from Joker's outstretched arm. "You know what this is?"

Deadshot looked from Joker to Scarecrow and back. "You don't?" He countered, raising an eyebrow at Joker. "Use your head, man."

Joker snarled at him, his eyes flashing black for a moment.

Scarecrow put a hand on his shoulder. "It's _fear_, Joker. Put two and two together."

Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Harley all snapped their heads towards Scarecrow at that, fitting the puzzle pieces together.

"You're not saying..." Poison Ivy began, her expression contorting with her rage.

"No," Catwoman hissed, glaring at Scarecrow. "_No_, not her. Not after the shit she's already been through. Not _that, _too."

Harley stormed towards them, recklessly pushing Scarecrow, Joker, and Deadshot out of her way. "I'm goin' in there," she said, leaning her body against the door. "Men don't belong anywhere near her right now. _None_ of ya can go in there."

Joker's eyes flashed black once more as he finally realized the implication in Scarecrow's statement. "God dammit," he hissed. "She cowered once before – in the old place."

"Explain," Tommy demanded, crossing the room and frowning as his cousin's screams and sobs seemed to get louder.

"It was before anything happened between her and I. It was the day after Ace Chemicals – she had finally calmed down and stopped trying to kill me after she noticed the change in her looks. I offered to take a bath with her to help her – nothing _sexual_," he rolled his eyes at Tommy's slight growl, "her head was busted open, she had a concussion, and her entire body was covered in bruises. I just wanted to take care of her. As soon as I got close enough to her and said I wanted to take care of her, she cowered –" he inhaled sharply, remembering all too well how she had feared him that day, "she curled up into a ball on the edge of the tub and looked like a scared, cornered wild animal. I left her alone when she did that – that was the first and only time I ever thought about the possibility of her being sexually assaulted. She's never done it since – not once."

Tommy's rage got the best of him and he punched the wall, plowing his fist right through it and creating a giant hole in it. Joker glared at him for a moment, instantly pissed off about the damage to the wall, but reminded himself that this was Jester's cousin who was more like an older brother to her and he was just finding out the hard way that Jester was most likely raped at some point in her life. Joker's expression softened and he and Tommy exchanged knowing looks before Joker pulled Harley away from the door.

They all stopped everything they were doing when Jester's voice rang out from the bathroom, dripping with terror, agony, and desperation. "_No, no, no, no, __**NO**__! __**STOP**__! It hurts! Let me go!" _She sobbed, howling in pain. Her next words were even more heartbreaking, her voice broken and pained. _"Please, _Manny_. _You're ripping my insides._"_

Joker lost it. He stormed over to the closet, pulling her black and purple robe off the hook on the back of the door and then made his way to the bathroom door, kicking it right off its hinges. He realized a moment way too late that it was the worst thing he could've done when his eyes met hers and she screamed bloody murder, bursting into fresh tears and cowering under her vanity, curling into the fetal position and begging. "Please go away," she cried. "Please, please, just go. It hurts. Please stop." He noticed she had wrapped herself up in a big, fluffy towel and was clutching it tightly to her body as if it were a safety blanket.

"She isn't seeing _you_," Scarecrow cleared his throat behind Joker, his heart splintering as he finally laid eyes on Jester's terrified, cowering, traumatized form under the vanity. "She's not _here _right now."

"PTSD," Joker murmured, holding back his tears as he watched Jester ride out what he assumed was a nasty flashback.

He inched closer to her, crouching down in front of the vanity and slowly, carefully offering the robe to her. As soon as his hands were close enough to her she shrieked, scrambling further backward until she collided with the wall, wailing and begging. "Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Get away from me!" She kicked out at him, still clutching her towel desperately against her, and trembled so violently he almost thought she was having a seizure. "Don't come near me!" she screamed, suddenly angry. "Get the fuck away!"

Joker ran a hand down his face and shook his head slightly, dropping the robe on the ground close enough for her to reach. He tore his eyes away from her and stood back up, motioning for everyone to get out. They all made their way out of the bedroom entirely, not saying a single word to each other as they all descended the grand staircase and made their way to the living room. In fact, none of them said a single word to each other for hours. Poison Ivy went back to the greenhouse, Catwoman eventually made her way to the grand staircase and perched herself on a banister on the second floor, Harley grabbed some spare linens and fixed them to the ceiling, hanging from them and showing off her gymnast skills. Tommy, Deadshot, and Johnny hopped in Tommy's truck and drove off to the Funhouse to blow off some steam – they had set up a training area there and stocked up on ammo to waste on bad days like this. Scarecrow sat in the living room with Joker, both of them silent as the grave.

"I never thought I'd hear screams of terror that didn't make me smile," Scarecrow muttered, not once looking up from the book he was reading.

"That makes two of us," Joker agreed, watching Harley as she hung upside down from the sheets, only one leg securely wrapped around the sheet.

"That girl is a fuckin' fighter," Harley cut in, glancing at both men. "Whatever it is that's tormenting her up there was definitely somethin' horrible. I ain't got words for somethin' that bad – that girl _never_ shows fear."

"It took more than a year for her to ever shed a tear in front of me – let alone show any kind of reaction to anything at all. It was like being a cell neighbor to a robot." Joker thought back to the first night he met his Queen and how savage and terrifying she was – the woman currently screaming in his bathroom was certainly not the same woman he knew for over a year.

"What about a teddy bear, like we did last time?" Harley pulled herself up, leaning back on the sheet and relaxing as if it were a hammock. "Remember, Mistah J?"

Joker ran a hand through his messy green hair. "I don't want any of us going anywhere near her until she's ready – _I_ won't even go near her."

"Yeah," Harley agreed, frowning. "You're right."

"She will come to us once she's ready," Scarecrow murmured. "It's best not to bring any of this up once she does – knowing Jester, she'll want to blow right past this like it never happened, and I think we should respect her dignity and pride."

"I can't do that, Straw Man," Joker countered. "I'm all for never showing weakness – but this is my Queen, the mother of my child. I need to know what happened, who did it, and how to help her if this ever happens again. I need to know what triggered this – and then I'm gonna go find that motherfucker and rip his insides out through his nostrils with my bare hands."

"Don't force it out of her, Joker," Scarecrow was calm, glancing over at Joker. "She will tell you when she's ready – don't push her. She suffers enough as it is."

Joker simply nodded, trying to ignore the blood-curdling screams and cries carrying down to the living room from the fourth-floor master bathroom. Every single sound she made chipped away at his resolve and broke his heart – it wouldn't be long before he lost his composure entirely and went on a killing spree or had a mental breakdown.

* * *

Joker lost track of how much time had passed since they had all left Jester in the bathroom. He looked out one of the living room windows and took in the pitch-black sky, realizing the entire day had passed by and she still hadn't come downstairs. The screaming stopped a few hours ago, and it was eerily silent upstairs ever since. "Kitty," he called, poking his head out of the door to the living room and towards the banister Catwoman was still perched on, "Anything?"

Catwoman shook her head. "Not a peep," she sighed, jumping down and gracefully landing on her feet. "I'd say it should be safe to go up at this point."

Joker rolled his head, cracking his neck, and ran a hand through his completely disheveled hair. "Yeah," he muttered, stepping out into the hallway and crossing his arms.

"You're afraid to," Catwoman observed, cocking her head at him.

Joker snorted. "Not afraid – I just don't know what I'll be walking into. I still don't know what I did to spark the whole thing."

"Could've been anything, J. You said yourself the first and only time she cowered from you before was when you told her you wanted to take care of her."

"Do you think that specific phrase could be related to this Manny person and what he did to her?"

"It's possible, Joker, but not certain. You'll only know if she tells you – and you've got to accept the fact that she might decide not to say a word about it."

Joker took a deep breath. "I at least need to know what I did to trigger it so it doesn't happen again – I _never _want that to happen to her again."

"You're a good guy, J," Catwoman smirked at him, patting him on the shoulder. "Don't worry – your secret's safe with me."

Joker laughed, shooting Catwoman a wink before heading upstairs, taking his time on his way. Truthfully, he was terrified to see her – he had no idea what to expect. He didn't know if she'd still be suffering from the flashback if she'd be catatonic again if she'd be coherent and lucid and upset, if she'd be totally fine, or if she'd be asleep. He didn't know how to handle any of those situations, either. He wouldn't be able to just forget about the entire incident and pretend it never happened – and a big part of him knew that's exactly what she'd want him and everyone else to do.

He finally reached the bedroom, shaking his head at the sight of the broken door, and carefully stepped inside, scanning the room for her. He didn't see her anywhere in the bedroom and frowned, realizing she was probably still in the bathroom. The bedroom was exactly as they had left it, and the dogs were both guarding the doorway to the bathroom. He frowned at them, patting them both on the head as he approached. He was about to enter the bathroom, but the sound of her voice stopped him in his tracks. She was singing along to a song he hadn't heard before, her voice raw and broken from her screaming and crying, and he pressed his ear to the door to listen.

"_... Yo, my mind is a house with walls covered in pain_

_See, my problem is I don't fix things, I just try to repaint_

_Cover 'em up like it never happened, say 'I wish I could change'_

_Are you confused? Come upstairs and I'll show you what I mean_

_This room's full of regrets, it just keeps getting fuller it seems_

_The moment I walk into it's the same moment that I wanna leave_

_I get sick to my stomach every time I look at these things_

_But it's hard to look past when this is the room where I sleep_

_I look around, one of the worst things I wrote on these walls_

_Was the moment I realized that I was losing my mom_

_One of the first things I wrote was, 'I wish I woulda called'_

_But I should just stop now, we ain't got enough room in this song_

_And I regret the fact that I struggled trying to find who I am_

_And I lie to myself and say I do the best that I can_

_Shrug it off like it ain't nothing like it's out of my hands_

_Then get ticked off whenever I see it affecting my plans_

_And I regret watching these trust issues eat me alive_

_And at the rate I'm goin', they'll probably still be there when I die_

_Congratulations, you'll always have a room in my mind,_

_The question is, will I ever clean the walls off in time?_

_Insidious is blind inception_

_What's reality with all these questions?_

_Feels like I missed my alarm and slept in_

_And slept in_

_Broken legs, but I chase perfection_

_These walls are my blank expression_

_My mind is a home I'm trapped in_

_And it's lonely inside this mansion, inside this mansion_

_So this part of my house, no one's been in it for years_

_I built a safe room and I don't let no one in there_

_'Cause if I do, there's a chance that they might disappear_

_And not come back, and I admit I am emotionally scared_

_To let anyone inside, so I just leave my doors locked_

_You might get other doors to open up, but this door's not_

_'Cause I don't want you to have the opportunity to hurt me_

_And I'll be the only person that I can blame when you desert me_

_I'm barricaded inside, so stop watchin'_

_I'm not coming to the door, so stop knockin', stop knockin'_

_I'm trapped here, God keeps saying I'm not locked in_

_I chose this, I am lost in my own conscience_

_I know that shutting the world out ain't solving the problem_

_But I didn't build this house because I thought it would solve 'em_

_I built it because I thought that it was safer in there_

_But it's not, I'm not the only thing that's living in here_

_Fear came to my house years ago, I let him in_

_Maybe that's the problem, 'cause I've been dealing with this ever since_

_I thought that he would leave, but it's obvious he never did_

_He must have picked a room and got comfortable and settled in_

_Now I'm in a position, it's either sit here and let him win_

_Or put him back outside where he came from, but I never can_

_'Cause in order to do that, I'd have to open the door_

_Is that me or the Fear talking? I don't know anymore..."_

"Jester?" Joker gently rapped his knuckles against the door frame, cutting off her singing. He didn't see her anywhere but didn't look too hard for her. He wasn't sure if she'd freak out at seeing him again, so he looked at the floor and didn't seek her out.

"I'm fine," she croaked.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, figuring he could bribe her to come out with the promise of food – as small as she was, she loved to eat.

"Kinda," she answered. She was quiet for a moment, and then he heard shuffling. The shuffling got closer and closer to where he stood, and when he finally looks up, he found her sitting on the floor in her black and purple robe with what looked like old cuts all over her. He tore his eyes from her to survey the bathroom, taking in the smashed mirrors on both vanities, the broken vases, and the smashed shower door. There was glass, water, flowers, and blood all over the floor. He didn't remember any of it being here earlier, but he wasn't exactly paying attention when he had burst in earlier. He ignored all of it, focusing his attention back on her. She wasn't moving from where she sat on the floor in front of him, her hands shaking in her lap. "Want some double chocolate pudding cake?" he asked, keeping his voice as normal as possible.

She simply nodded, reaching a hand up towards him in a silent plea for assistance. He chuckled, grabbing her hand in his and gently pulling her up. She wrapped her arms around him instantly, burying her head in his chest and breathing in his scent. Joker didn't say a word. He just wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on top of hers, gently rubbing her back. "I love you," he murmured, stroking her purple hair with one pale hand. She sniffled and he cursed himself as he felt fresh, warm tears against his bare skin.

"I love you too," Jester whispered, holding him even tighter.

"Come on, baby," Joker purred, lifting her like a child and holding her against him with one arm wrapped around her back and the other wrapped securely under her ass. "Let's go have some cake."

"I'm sorry I destroyed the bathroom," Jester sighed, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Joker laughed. "Fuck the bathroom – I'm glad _you're_ in one piece."

"Interesting choice of words," she countered, stroking the back of his neck with her fingertips. "J, I don't wanna go downstairs and see everybody yet."

"That's fine." Joker carried her over to their bed, laying her down. "Would you like to wear something different to bed?" He would normally just strip off her robe and put her in one of his t-shirts or tuck her in as she was, but he was a little wary of touching her, let alone stripping her, after what happened earlier.

"You can touch me, J. It's okay." She gave him a tiny smile, untying her robe and carefully pulling it open.

Joker held back the hiss that almost escaped him when he saw all the cuts and bruises marring her skin, not wanting to upset her and reminding himself that she'd be completely healed in just a little while. "If you're certain," he said politely, carefully pulling her robe off of her. He brought it over to the closet, hanging it up before digging out his black t-shirt that she loved to sleep in. He brought it back over and gently pulled it over her head and pulled her arms through the sleeves. Once he was done he waited for her to lay back down before tucking her in. "I'll be back," he said, kissing her forehead before getting up to head to the kitchen.

He was about to step into the hallway when she called out to him. "I'll tell you everything when you're back."

After eating a giant piece of cake and a cake batter milkshake, Joker was laying down with Jester, keeping a safe distance and keeping his hands to himself. They were quiet for a while, both of them staring at the ceiling and ignoring the elephant in the room until Jester finally couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Did everyone hear me crying?" Jester whispered, folding her hands over her belly.

Joker lifted his head, glancing at her. "You don't remember?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "They kicked our fucking door in," he added, pointing to the broken bedroom door.

"What happened to that one, then?" Jester looked confused, pointing at the bathroom doorway.

"I happened," Joker answered calmly, folding his arms behind his head.

"What else happened? I know I cried, I know I broke things, and I know it started during sex, but I don't remember everything." Jester reached out and grasped one of Joker's hands, holding it tightly in her own.

"Well, I've been wondering the same thing, my dear," he answered, squeezing her hand. "We were having sex and you made this sound – the next thing I knew, you were terrified of me, crying and running away from me and locking yourself in the bathroom and screaming."

"I was screaming?" she looked puzzled, sitting up and looking down at Joker. "The whole time, or... ?"

"The whole time," Joker confirmed, meeting her eyes. "You were saying things."

Jester covered her eyes with her hand, shaking her head. "What things?" she seemed embarrassed, her cheeks flushing as she asked.

Joker sighed, sitting up as well. He turned to face her and gently removed her hand from her eyes, wiping away the few tears that managed to escape her eyes. "I don't know if I should answer that," he admitted. He mulled everything over in his head, trying to decide whether or not to ask the question that was burning in his mind. He finally decided to take the risk and ask. "Jester," he lowered his voice, looking right into her eyes and gently cupping her cheek in his hand, "Who is Manny?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's. **

* * *

Jester sighed, her hands trembling in her lap. "Manny was my best friend. We were always together for two whole years before he moved. If we weren't at work or doing family stuff, we were hanging out together. Manny had my back a few times in the past, which built my trust in him and ultimately forged our friendship..." she took a deep breath, screwing her eyes shut and fighting off the anxiety creeping up on her.

"Take your time – or don't, you don't have to say anything." Joker grasped both of her hands in his, stopping her tremors and helping to calm her. "It's your story, Jester. You have a choice whether you want to tell it or not."

"You need to know," Jester countered. "I have PTSD from quite a few things – what he did to me was the worst, though. Remember what I said this morning about having internal damage? For a lack of better words, he broke my insides. When we were having sex, you hit the scar tissue inside me and when that happens, it sends a shooting pain up my body to my ear." She trailed her fingers from the apex of her thighs and up the right side of her body, tracing the path the pain coursed through her. Her fingers trailed up her ribs, across her chest, up her throat and stopped just behind her right ear.

Joker watched carefully, memorizing the path as she recreated it for him, keeping it locked in his mind for future reference. He frowned, gently reaching out and wrapping his hand loosely around the right side of her throat, stroking the skin with his thumb. "So it starts down there and comes up here?"

Jester nodded. "That noise you heard – the hissing? It's from the pain. Once that spot inside me is hit and that pain shoots through me, I'm immediately catapulted back into my basement room in my childhood home with Manny, screaming and trying to crawl away while he hurts me. It's like it's happening all over again every single time."

Joker pulled her into his arms, not saying a word, resting his head on top of hers as she snuggled into his chest.

"Several doctors told me I need surgery for the damage but I refuse to do it. It's a 50/50 chance that they'll fix it or it'll get worse. Every woman I know that's had the same or a similar surgery has come out of it much worse and suffering even more. I won't do it." Jester took a deep breath, letting the smell of Joker's natural musk and his cologne settle her frayed nerves. "Manny was the third one, but the only one to be so violent that it caused permanent physical damage."

"The _third_...?" Joker's eyes flashed black for a dangerously long moment, the Madness trying to claw its way to the surface. "The third man to...?" He wouldn't finish the sentence. He didn't want to force her into another meltdown if it wasn't necessary. He knew what she was saying. Manny was the third man to rape her.

She nodded against his chest and he inhaled sharply, fighting off the Madness and willing himself to remain as calm as possible – seeing her frightened that way, cowering from him and screaming in terror was enough to keep his temper in check around her. He didn't ever want to see her so terrified of him again.

"I'll tell you about them," Jester murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around his back and clasping her hands together. "Just give me a moment or two and bear with me – I _know_ these things happened to me, I remember bits and pieces, but the trauma has blocked out a lot of the details. I remember certain smells, sounds, places, cars, landmarks, and words, but I don't remember absolutely everything, and I think it's better that way."

Joker nodded, still as quiet as ever.

"God, I wish I could have a fucking cigarette or a drink," she whined, sitting back up and moving to get out of bed. "Can we go outside? I want to sit outside and enjoy the night."

Joker grinned at her, getting up and fetching her slippers for her and helping her into them. "Pants?" he asked, winking at her.

"Nope," she shook her head, giving him a small smile. "I wanna be comfy."

Joker kissed her forehead, carefully picking her up and carrying her bridal style out of their room, down the grand staircase, and outside onto the back deck. He set her down on the sofa and settled himself behind her, stretching out his legs on either side of her and stroking her hair as she lay her head back against his chest. She rested her hands on his knees and stretched her legs out, smiling as she looked up at all the stars. The dogs had followed them outside and were off roughhousing in the yard, making sure not to stray too far from Jester.

Their quiet moment was broken when Scarecrow cleared his throat from the doorway. "I didn't mean to interrupt you," he said politely, beginning to head back into the house.

"It's okay, Craney," Jester chirped, waving him over. "I don't mind if you hear this. Besides, your whole shtick is seeing what people are terrified of, isn't it?"

Scarecrow sat down in a comfy outdoor cushioned chair opposite the sofa Joker and Jester were currently settled in. He cocked his head to the side, regarding Jester as he pieced together his response. "My dear, I would never want to exploit your fears. I wouldn't ever harm you – nor would I ever wish any harm on you."

"You heard me today," Jester prodded, raising an eyebrow at her friend. "Right?"

Scarecrow ripped his gaze from hers and looked at Joker, not sure if he should tell the truth or deny that he heard or saw anything at all. Joker simply nodded at him, signaling him to answer truthfully, and Scarecrow sighed. "My littlest clown," Scarecrow gave Jester a small smile, "I _saw_ the aftermath."

Jester paled, feeling vulnerable and humiliated, but quickly recovered and plastered a neutral expression on her face. "Oh," she said flatly. "So... you saw me screaming and crying, then?"

Scarecrow nodded, a grim expression on his face. "I did, darling. We all did. We heard your screams and kicked the door in, not knowing what was happening. Joker broke down the bathroom door once you started saying things and I went in with him." He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before finishing. "You were... _incapacitated." _

Jester nodded, taking it all in. "Can you both tell me what I was doing? What I was saying? I'm the one who broke everything in the bathroom, right? I don't remember any of it. I just remember the pain and starting to cry."

Joker sighed, kissing the top of her head. "You broke everything in the bathroom, yes. You made that hissing noise and I pulled you up against me. You were crying and scared, and when I let you go you scrambled away from me, fell off the bed, crawled to the bathroom and locked yourself in. I heard the faucet start running, I heard something break, and then everything was quiet. After a while, I heard you shuffle into a corner and then the screaming _really_ began – along with the crying and more sounds of things breaking."

"You were in there for hours. You began screaming actual words after awhile..." Scarecrow ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward in his seat, meeting Jester's eyes. "You were screaming _'don't touch me'_, _'it hurts'_, _'get away from me'_, _'let me go'_, _'stop'_, _'no'._.. it was when you screamed about someone named Manny 'ripping your insides' that Joker broke down the door and that's when we saw you. You were cowering under the vanity with a towel wrapped around you, curled up in the fetal position, and when Joker came near you to give you your robe you lost it – I knew at that point that you were somewhere far away in your mind and you weren't seeing us – you were seeing that Manny person."

"You backed yourself into the wall, begged me to leave you alone and then kicked at me, getting more agitated the closer I got. I left the robe on the floor and got everyone the hell out of the room and downstairs to let you ride it out and calm down without us all making it worse." Joker ruffled his hair, letting his head loll back against the arm of the sofa. "Everyone was there, princess."

Jester just nodded, chewing on her bottom lip as she mulled it all over in her head, trying to piece everything together in her memory. All she could remember were flashes of Manny dragging her by her hair, clutching onto her legs, refusing to let her go, forcing her down and the sounds of her whimpers.

"If I may, Jester," Scarecrow jostled her out of her thoughts. "What were you seeing?"

Jester took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind and focus. "I was seeing my old basement room in my parents' old house – I was being raped all over again by Manny, a guy that had been my best friend for 5 years before that day."

Scarecrow frowned, leaning back in his chair. Both he and Joker remained quiet, letting her piece her thoughts together and talk.

"It was the week of my 21st birthday. My niece was still alive – she was in Boston, undergoing radiation for her cancer. My entire family went to see her, most of them spent two weeks there, and they all left me behind to _'watch the house,'_" she scowled, her eyes darkening as she recalled the day her parents left for Boston and how furious she was. Once again, she had been left behind and not allowed to go see her niece – her sister had kept her away with lies time and time again, letting everyone and their fucking mother go visit except her. She hated her sister for it.

"I had been throwing parties at my house with my friends. I only ever invited a few of my close friends – people I could trust, people that I knew wouldn't steal shit, break shit, trash my house or cause any problems. It was two nights after my actual birthday – my one group of friends were out doing something else, I forgot what, and some of my old high school friends ended up showing up. Manny came that night, and it turned out he knew my other friends despite the age difference, and everything was going fine. We were playing beer pong, we were all pretty drunk, and I don't remember why, but I ended up getting the spins and went inside the house to lay down on the couch."

Jester tensed up, closing her eyes as she tried to piece together the events that followed – it was all bits and pieces from that point on, and she struggled to try and put it into words as images flashed through her mind. "I heard the back door open and Manny came over to the couch, laying on it next to me. I didn't think anything of it – we had crashed at a mutual friend's house several times throughout the years and he and I always shared a couch." Her hands balled into fists, her knuckles turning white as the memory played out in her mind. "But then he was touching me – he had never, ever done that before. Never once. He was touching my hair, my neck, and then he was trying to put his hand down my pants. I pushed him away and he wouldn't let up, so I told him to stop. He didn't. I remember rolling off the couch, too drunk and dizzy to stand up..."

Joker stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. Her entire body had gone rigid against his and the tension on the deck was thick. He exchanged a concerned look with Scarecrow, not sure if they should let her continue. He opened his mouth to talk to her, to tell her it was okay to stop and forget the whole thing, but she continued.

"The next thing I remember is him dragging me down the stairs by my hair. I remember it hurt like hell, and it was pitch black down there so I couldn't see anything. I think I was screaming for my friends upstairs – I didn't know they had left. Then Manny had me on my bed, my pants were gone and I was on all fours, and I remember crying – _really _crying, and I remember the pain. He was gripping my hair so tight he was ripping strands of it out and I was telling him to stop, trying to crawl away. Then there was _so much pain." _Her voice trembled as she spoke, not realizing she was crying as she recounted the events.

"He was inside me and I was dry – bone dry – and it hurt. I felt the friction and it burned so badly, and then I remember feeling something tear inside me – and I was screaming. I remember screaming at him, and clawing at him, and trying to crawl away again. The further I got, the more it hurt. He would force my head down and suffocate me or grab my arms so hard I thought he'd break them and he just kept going. I couldn't get away. I remember being so scared and being in so much pain, and I just kept thinking _'stop fighting, stop fighting – the harder you fight, the more it hurts. The more you fight, the worse it gets. Just wait for it to be over. Just think of something happy and wait for it to be over.'" _

She opened her eyes, opening her hands back up and realizing she'd cut open her palms with her nails. She looked at the wounds for a moment and focused on them instead of the fear and pain that was plaguing her.

"I don't know how long it went on – I don't remember when it ended or how. I remember crawling upstairs and wondering where everyone was, why no one came when they heard me screaming – and I remember seeing no one on my back deck. It was around 7 AM at that point and I had no idea how long I'd been down there, and I didn't know where he went. I thought he left, so I locked all the doors, wrapped a blanket around myself and went back down to my room. I went into my bathroom and lay down on the floor in the dark crying. Then I heard his voice – he was telling me to drive him back home. I just got up, put on sweatpants and drove him home – I didn't know what else to do. It's like I was some kind of zombie – I couldn't think, I couldn't feel, I couldn't talk... I just got in my car and drove him across town and broke down in tears once he got out of my car. I locked the doors and had a meltdown. I didn't realize I had called several of my friends, leaving incoherent and hysterical voicemails on their phones at different points during the night."

She grabbed Joker's arms and wrapped them tight around her and he let her, resting his pale tattooed hands over her belly. She grasped his hands in hers and took a few deep breaths, calming herself once again.

"When I got back home, I wasn't asleep more than an hour before two of my friends broke in my house through a window and found me on the bathroom floor downstairs, shaking and crying. My one friend, Chuck, urged my other friend Jordan to just leave me alone and to ask me about it another time when I wasn't having a nervous breakdown but she refused. She dragged me out of my house and put me in her car – I remember crying and _begging_ her to leave me alone, to leave me in my house so I could just sleep, but she refused, and I remember trying to jump out of her car as she was driving. She brought me to her house and acted like everything was fine and it was just another day, inviting her other friends over and getting mad at me because _'I wasn't being very talkative or friendly.'_ She refused to let me shower and made me go to the park with her and her friends, chiding me all day for being _'rude'_. Every step I took hurt, every time I sat down it hurt, every time I stood up it hurt – I burst into tears every time I had to pee because the pain was excruciating and I was bleeding. She made me sit there like that all day, in her house and at the park, bleeding and crying and unable to move because of the pain. I remember finally getting back home and locking all the doors and windows – she kept trying to break into my house after that and couldn't get in, and I refused to speak to her anymore."

Jester's expression contorted with her rage as she recounted that day – sitting in Jordan's kitchen, trembling, weeping and crying out in pain every time she moved an inch and Jordan refusing to let her take a shower or go home, no matter how much she begged. The memory of it alone made her want to seek Jordan out and rip her face off with a crowbar, even after all these years.

"For months I slept on the bathroom floor every single night, not touching my bed or the sheets or blankets on it. I couldn't stand to even be in my room anymore... my parents had no idea. I'd cry myself to sleep on the linoleum floor wrapped in an old blanket, I'd sleep for a few hours, wake up before they did and I'd just go to work and I'd spend as much time away from my house as I possibly could. I'd drive around for hours at night, then grab a coffee, park at a park and ride and I'd just cry. Manny had kept trying to call me for a week straight after that night, getting pissed off at me because I refused to answer his calls or speak to him. He thought he hadn't done anything wrong. A few days after it happened, my friend Jeff – one of my friends that had been there that night – messaged me and asked me how my night was. They didn't know I wasn't willing – they had left as soon as I went inside to lay down, thinking I was fine with Manny because I always had been for five years. They had no idea what happened, they thought Manny and I just fucked. They didn't realize what was happening inside the house."

Jester brought her hands up to her face and wiped her eyes and her cheeks, sniffling a little. "So that's that... That's what was happening when I was in the bathroom. Every time I get that pain, my brain just drags me back to hell – back to that night in my dark basement room with Manny. I don't remember seeing you guys in the bathroom."

Joker's eyes were nearly pitch black at this point and he was struggling to keep his Madness in check, stiff as a board behind Jester. "This _Manny... _tell me, is he alive?" His voice came out in a snarl, the rumble of it in his chest sending vibrations down Jester's spine.

"He is," Jester confirmed. "Haven't seen him in years – last I heard, one of my best friends kicked the shit out of him, nearly killed him, and Manny fled the city."

"I see," Joker's voice was dangerously low, a calculating look on his face.

"Have you seen him since that night?" Scarecrow asked, furrowing his brows at Jester. "The way you said it, it seems as though you have."

"I have," Jester said. "I saw him a couple years later – I was dropping my friend off at his house and saw Manny come down the street. We locked eyes for a moment and he immediately looked down at the ground and shuffled past me – I cackled like a madwoman. He couldn't even look me in the fucking face. That was enough to make me feel better... knowing he couldn't even face me like a god damn man after what he'd done. Right there I _knew _that he knew he had done something atrocious. I hope it keeps him awake at night for the rest of his life."

"Oh baby, he won't be living much longer," Joker singsonged. "Scaredy crow, I think we've got our first test subject."

Scarecrow's mouth contorted into a feral grin as he met Joker's black eyes. "Indeed."

Jester, Joker, and Scarecrow had stayed out on the back deck for a couple hours longer, making small talk about the baby and Joker and Scarecrow's plan to come up with a new chemical weapon. Jester's exhaustion finally caught up with her and she fell asleep curled up against Joker with a small smile etched into her face.

"Time to get this Mama to bed," Joker murmured, carefully lifting her off the outdoor sofa with him and holding her close to his chest as he carried her.

Scarecrow simply nodded at Joker, following him into the house and locking the sliding door behind him once they were inside. "I am pleased to see that she's alright now," Scarecrow whispered, not wanting to wake Jester.

Joker nodded, pressing a kiss to Jester's forehead. "She'll be more than alright for the rest of her life as long as I'm around," he whispered. "Nothing will ever happen to her again. _Nothing."_

Scarecrow grinned at Joker, watching as he carried Jester through the kitchen and towards the grand staircase. He made his way up the stairs shortly after, heading for his bedroom on the second floor.

* * *

"Scarecrow," Catwoman's voice came from down the hall but he couldn't see her – there were no lights on and the hallway was pitch black.

"Yes?" he answered politely, gracefully making his way down the dark hallway and finally finding her leaning against the door to his bedroom.

"Is she okay?" Catwoman looked a little concerned, a slight frown marring her face.

Scarecrow nodded. "She told Joker and me what happened – who Manny is, what he did. We will be hunting him down like an animal starting tomorrow."

"I'd offer my help, but I'm sure Joker wants someone to stay with Jester and the Doctor."

"Indeed... we will have Tommy and Johnny with us. Joker wants Deadshot here to keep Jester safe."

"As if I can't keep her safe myself – have you _seen _my claws?"

"Your razor-sharp claws and your whip are forces to be reckoned with, kitty cat," Scarecrow mused, giving Catwoman a small smile. "I think it would be good for Jester to spend time with other females. I'm sure you, Harley, and Poison Ivy can think of a million things to keep her entertained and busy while we search for that filthy mongrel."

"I've got the perfect idea," Catwoman grinned wickedly at him, shooting him a wink before stepping away from his bedroom door and making her way down the hallway to her room.

"Scarecrow," she called over her shoulder, stopping for a moment. "I appreciate you helping her and being kind to her – I know it isn't in your nature. I think she needs a friend like you."

"You know as well as I do that Jester is a special little woman – she manages to tug at the heartstrings of even the most vile, evil, and downright dastardly creatures. There may be hope for us yet."

Catwoman shared a chuckle with Scarecrow, continuing her path to her bedroom. "I wouldn't call it hope, my dear Scarecrow. I'd call it... _refuge_."

Scarecrow smiled at that, finally pushing open his bedroom door and entering the room, happy to finally get some rest.

* * *

The next day, Jester was outside enjoying the nice spring weather with Catwoman, Harley, Poison Ivy, and the dogs. Deadshot had gone to the Funhouse to oversee things at Joker's request, leaving the house all to the girls. Doctor Davis was up in her guest room, keeping to herself the way she had been since the day before. Jester had invited her to join her and the others outside but the Doctor declined, deciding to read in her room instead. Jester felt bad for the Doctor – she knew she was keeping to her room out of fear.

"So, what do ya think it is? A girl or a boy?" Harley had been by Jester's side all day since she came downstairs for breakfast, not letting Jester out of her sight for even a single second.

"I don't know," Jester replied, resting a hand on her tiny belly. "I'm kind of hoping for a boy, to be honest."

"A boy?" Poison Ivy sauntered over, as green as she could be with her ivy wrapped around her skin. "Why not a girl?"

"I can only imagine a female mini-me going through adolescence, puberty, and periods... no, thank you!" Jester chuckled, shaking her head. "I'd rather not have to deal with a teenage version of myself – especially one mixed with Joker's DNA."

"She's got a point," Catwoman added, coming up on the back deck and sitting across from Jester. "Young girls can be terrorists once they hit puberty."

"I think a little boy would be so cute!" Harley chirped excitedly, wrapping an arm around Jester's shoulders. "Just imagine – a baby boy who looks just like you and Mistah J with your soft heart and Mistah J's ruthlessness!"

"Either way it'll be one interesting kid, that's for sure." Jester leaned back and snuggled into the cushions of the outdoor sofa, resting her eyes for a moment. "Am I supposed to be so tired all the time? I mean, I'm always tired anyway, but it's like all I wanna do is sleep lately."

"That's all part of it," Doctor Davis' voice cut in from the doorway and Jester opened her eyes, beaming at the Doctor.

"Doctor Davis! I'm glad you decided to join us."

"Well, I think a girls' day is just what I need," Doctor Davis smiled back at Jester and waved at the other women. "I apologize for my lack of manners lately, I'm just a little..." she looked around the group for a moment, wringing her hands nervously, "_nervous_."

The girls laughed, beckoning her closer to them. "Don't worry, Doc, we don't bite!" Harley grinned at Doctor Davis and made room for her on the sofa.

"It's Joker you should be afraid of," Catwoman said, eyeing the woman skeptically.

"He's the one who will kill you in cold blood in the blink of an eye over a minor inconvenience," Poison Ivy added, examining the Doctor's outfit.

"Oh, stop," Jester waved her hand dismissively at her friends, smiling reassuringly at Doctor Davis as she settled herself on the couch. "I like you, and I don't think you've been ill-mannered at all. You've got some serious backbone living in a house with all of us and not once screaming, crying, or trying to jump out a window. No one here is gonna hurt you – I promise you that."

Doctor Davis just nodded, not saying a word in response.

"So, Doc, what do ya like to do for fun?" Harley was trying to make the woman comfortable, noticing how nervous and uptight she seemed in their company.

"Well, usually I like to go hiking, but I doubt I'll be doing any of that while I'm here." Doctor Davis let out a little nervous laugh, folding her hands neatly over her crossed legs.

"Well, probably not – unless you were chaperoned by a couple of us and from the looks of it, I doubt Joker wants _any_ of us out in the public eye during Jester's pregnancy." Catwoman looked out into the yard and laughed at the dogs as they played, rolling each other around in the grass.

"After yesterday I'm sure he won't let me out of this house ever again, pregnancy or not – he was already livid that I want to get back to work once the baby's born." Jester rolled her eyes, leaning into Harley's side. Harley giggled and ran her fingers through Jester's hair soothingly.

"We all know he can't stop you – you're the only one that ever gets through to him. I've never once seen the man concede on anything, and then you came along and domesticated him _just_ enough." Poison Ivy smirked at Jester and shot her a wink. "You set him straight – as straight as Joker can get, at least."

"Yeah, Mistah J never listened to anybody – he's an agent of chaos, after all." Harley shrugged.

"He still is," Jester reasoned. "I don't know why or how I have such an effect on him – but there are times when even I cannot subdue him. He is who he is. We all have our own... _issues_."

"Speaking of issues..." Catwoman looked around the group and ignored Poison Ivy's hard look, silently warning her not to bring up what happened yesterday. "Are you alright?"

Jester sighed, nodding. "I'd rather you guys ask me your questions and clear the air than tiptoe around the subject and try to avoid the elephant in the room, I have nothing to hide. To answer your question – I'm fine now. I have PTSD from sexual and physical assaults I endured for 13 years, and that's what you all witnessed yesterday – a meltdown."

"That was the screaming I heard?" Doctor Davis' voice was low, as if she was afraid to ask the question.

"Yes," Jester confirmed. "Something happened that triggered my PTSD and I had an awful flashback. When it happens, I'm usually out for the count for a few hours. I didn't realize that I scream, cry, and talk during them – Scarecrow and J filled me in on everything out here last night."

"We were extremely concerned about you," Poison Ivy murmured, manipulating the plants in the backyard to grow larger and settling herself into a hammock she made out of vines.

"I'm really alright – it happens a lot less frequently now. That's probably the first one I've had in over a year. I used to have them constantly – even in public. If I was at the bar and a man touched me inappropriately, I'd end up in the bathroom riding it out on the dirty floor. It sucked."

"Jesus," Doctor Davies sighed, looking out into the yard. "That's terrible."

"It's trauma – trauma sucks. Nothing I can do about it, just gotta keep living and keep putting one foot in front of the other day after day."

"So that's where the boys are today?" Harley asked, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Hunting down the dirtbag that hurt ya?"

"One of them, yes," Jester confirmed, nodding. "There are three that raped me. This one is the third – he fucked me up so bad I have permanent internal damage. J was livid, to say the least."

"I doubt they'll bring him back alive," Catwoman said nonchalantly. "Joker might gut him on sight."

"Actually," Poison Ivy smirked, shifting her gaze to Catwoman. "Joker and Scarecrow have plans for him – plans I may become involved in."

"So they told you about their little idea for a new chemical weapon?" Jester asked, leaning forward in her seat. She had a feral look on her face, not even bothering to hide her excitement about three of her Rogue friends coming up with a dangerous new chemical weapon to terrorize people and fight the Batman with.

"They did," Poison Ivy supplied. "Just before breakfast. I like the idea – I want to be a part of the Bat family's demise."

"Wouldn't we all?" Catwoman's voice was dripping with venom, her eyes narrowed into slits. "I would love to claw Batman's face right off after he ditched me for Talia Al Ghul and threw me in Arkham."

"Hell, _I'd _love to claw his face off for that," Jester growled, scowling. "I've never met Talia, but judging from how big of an asshole her father is, I can only imagine she's probably an uppity cunt."

"You seemed to handle Ra's well at the warehouse meeting," Poison Ivy grinned. "In fact, I remember him saying he liked you."

"He can like me all he wants – I think he's a dick, especially since he keeps those Lazarus pits to himself."

"I don't know if I'd wanna be immortal – from what I heard, a dip in one of those pits comes at a price." Harley rested her head on top of Jester's and sighed. "I heard stories when I was still a Doctor – people come outta there even more fucked up sometimes."

"How much more fucked up can we get?" Jester joked, laughing. The rest of them laughed with her, save for Doctor Davis who seemed quite taken aback by the fact that they were all talking so candidly in front of her about such seemingly confidential and controversial subjects. Truthfully, with how quiet she was, they had forgotten she was there.

"So Doc," Jester leaned forward and caught Doctor Davis' eye, "when do I find out the sex of the baby?"

Doctor Davis smiled at Jester, leaning forward to level with her face to face. "Well, since your pregnancy is progressing twice as fast as a normal human pregnancy would, we could do a blood test and find out now or we can do it the old fashioned way at 14 weeks. You've progressed to the point of 8 weeks now, so that would be another..." she paused, doing the math in her head, "3 weeks."

Jester nodded, rubbing her belly. "Another 3 weeks huh?"

"Or we can do a blood test and find out now," Doctor Davis reminded her.

"I haven't even talked to J – I don't know if he wants to know the sex or not, and I won't do it without him here for it." Jester grabbed her phone from the table in front of her and shot Joker a text, not wanting to call and interrupt him while he was hunting.

_'Text me when you can – talking to the Doctor about the baby's gender.'_

Harley barked out a laugh, ruffling Jester's hair. "I knew you wouldn't wanna wait," she mused. "You always want answers, and you want 'em right away, just like Mistah J."

Jester's phone went off almost immediately and she grinned, looking down at the reply text from Joker.

_'You better not have found out without me, little bird.' _

She laughed and quickly sent him a response, imagining the smirk on his pale face as he sent his message.

_'Of course, I didn't, handsome. Turns out we can find out now if we do a blood test. Up to you.' _

"What did he say?" Catwoman asked.

"That I better not have found out without him," Jester smiled and put her phone down next to her. "I'm bored."

"Oh!" Harley jumped up from her seat, a Cheshire cat-like grin on her face. "I forgot about all the baby stuff we ordered, Jestah! It should all be at the post office by now!"

Jester gasped, getting up from the sofa and dancing with excitement. "I wanna go get it!"

"We all know that if any of us leave to go get it, Joker will have our heads," Poison Ivy drawled, sighing a little. "He'll probably want Johnny and Tommy to get it."

"Fuck that," Jester waved her hand dismissively. "I want it _now_."

As soon as the words left her mouth, her phone went off again – as if Joker could sense she was up to mischief.

_'A blood test? Better hope the good Doctor wears gloves... The boys and I will be back soon, let's do it when I get back.' _

He added several clown emojis to the text along with green, purple, and black hearts and Jester laughed.

"He says they'll be home soon... it's like he knows I was about to go do something he'd be pissed at me for. I guess we have to sit and wait... I _hate _waiting."

She sent him a reply, deciding to make him and the boys pick up all the baby stuff she ordered on their way as revenge for making her wait.

_'Stop at the post office and pick up all the baby stuff I ordered, would ya? God knows you won't let me leave to get it myself. Xoxo' _

"Why don't we do something fun in the meantime?" Catwoman suggested, smirking at Jester. "I've got an idea."

* * *

Joker, Scarecrow, Johnny, and Tommy came back a little over an hour later, loading all the stuff Harley and Jester had ordered into the house. Once they had all the boxes stacked up in the master bedroom, Tommy and Johnny went out to the car to get Manny. Joker laughed as the two men dragged him into the house in a zipped up body bag. Manny was wriggling furiously inside of the bag, all his protests and screams muffled by the duct tape over his mouth.

"Let's bring Jester her gift, boys!" Joker made his way towards the living room and quirked an eyebrow at the sign he found on the door. In Jester's writing were the words _**'NO BOYS ALLOWED.' **_

"Or not," Tommy couldn't help snickering at his cousin's childishness, curious as to what mischief she and the other women were up to in the living room.

Joker grinned and left the sign where it was, opening the living room door and cackling at what he saw. They had built a giant pillow, cushion, and blanket fort in the living room and he could barely move around it. He turned around and signaled to Tommy and Johnny to bring Manny downstairs to Scarecrow's lab, deciding to wait until later to torture the piece of shit.

"Hey! The sign says 'no boys allowed!'" Harley shouted, a chorus of girlish giggles breaking out right after.

"That's true," Joker agreed, carefully searching the very meticulously and skillfully made fort for any movement or a flash of purple hair. "However, we aren't boys... we're _men_."

"Semantics," Jester drawled, her voice coming from somewhere close to him. Joker carefully walked around the fort, trying to decipher which lumps were cushions and which ones were human.

Scarecrow chuckled, making his way around the other side of the fort, sure he could pick up on Jester's location before Joker could. He was silent as the grave as he moved, careful to stay on the rug and not to step on the hardwood floor.

"Ya know..." Joker raised an eyebrow when he noticed movement close to him under a stretched out blanket, "if ya weren't pregnant, I could've just jumped right in the middle of your little fortress and made quick work of finding ya, little J."

Jester snickered, giving away her location. Joker noticed her movement to the right of him and pounced with the speed and grace of a cat, landing right on top of her so he was straddling her legs. She squealed and laughed as he pulled the blankets and cushions away that had concealed her and burst out laughing when he saw she was wearing her blue, purple, and green dragon onesie.

"Gotcha," he growled, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Havin' fun, dollface?"

"Oh yeah," Jester confirmed, rolling her eyes back to look at her friends as they 'surrendered' to Scarecrow and came out of the fort. Scarecrow had snatched the blankets they were under away in the blink of an eye, a wicked grin spread across his handsome face as he loomed over the crouching women.

"She was bored out of her skull waiting on you guys," Catwoman explained, sauntering out of the room to go find Tommy.

"Did you bring me a present?" Jester grinned madly at Joker, running her hands through his vibrant hair.

Joker simply nodded, his eyes flashing black for a moment.

"Wanna play?" he asked, getting to his feet and helping her up off the floor.

"Always," Jester growled, grasping his hand in hers and skipping towards the door.

* * *

"Where'd ya get Ol' Sparky?" Jester was circling the old electric chair in the basement, her eyes lit up with glee. "I've never been so close to one," she ran her fingers over the wood of the chair along the back and the arms. "Do I get to use it?" She gave Joker such a hopeful, excited look he couldn't turn her down even if he wanted to.

"Of course, princess," he cooed, coming over and cupping her cheek in his hand. "My girl gets whatever she wants."

"Where is he?" Jester asked, ripping her gaze from the chair and searching the room.

Joker cackled, dancing across the room and to a dark, damp corner. He kicked at something black on the ground and a muffled scream rang out in the creepy old basement, causing both clowns to laugh hysterically.

"Oh, baby," Jester was doubled over, her hands braced on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "You've had him in a body bag the whole time? Oh, I don't know how you'll top this on my birthday or Christmas... this is perfect!"

"You know I give the best gifts," Joker purred, dragging the body bag across the room and over to Jester, grinning as Manny writhed and shouted along the way. "I'll always find a way to top the last thing I did – as a matter of fact, I already have plans for your birthday."

He dropped Manny at Jester's feet, still completely zipped up in the body bag, and sat down in the electric chair as if it was a throne and he was the King. "Now," he kicked violently at the bag, cackling at Manny's pained shouts, "Scaredy crow wants to know if you'd like to go old school on this guy – an eye for an eye, ya know?"

Jester sat herself down in Joker's lap, wiggling in anticipation. "Oh, fuck yes," she spat, glaring down at the bag. "Let's give him a direct shot of it – I want the shit coursing through his bloodstream for hours on end. I promise I won't get tired of hearing him scream."

"That's my girl," Joker purred, kissing his way from the base of her throat to the spot behind her ear. "Let's get him down here, shall we?"

"Craney!" Jester shouted gleefully, swinging her legs like a child would as she sat in Joker's lap. "It's time to _punch_ in!"

Joker laughed at her joke, throwing his head back in the chair. "Oh, that was a good one!"

Scarecrow came downstairs wearing a gauntlet Jester had never seen before – it had tubes wrapped around it filled with a glowing orange fluid and needles protruding from the fingertips. Joker seemed unfazed, so she assumed it was only really new to her. He had on a slightly different mask, too. This one had a gas mask built into it, a wide stitched mouth, a cut noose attached to it and it looked a little less beat up than his other one.

"I like the new getup," Jester smirked at Scarecrow, examining the gauntlet as he came closer.

"Why thank you," he crowed, sauntering over to them and dropping his head as he stared down at the wiggling body bag. "Shall we?"

"Let's do it," Jester chirped, watching as Joker crouched down and reached for the zipper. He looked up at her and paused his movements, wanting to make sure she'd be alright coming face to face with the degenerate inside the bag.

"You sure you wanna see his face again, my Queen?" He was serious, his mouth in a tight line.

Jester simply nodded, crouching down beside him and tearing the zipper down the bag so fast she ripped it completely off its track. "Hello, Manny," she spat, grinning wickedly at him. "Long time, no see!" His mouth was wrapped so tightly with duct tape that he was bleeding from the cuts in his face. The look of shock and fear in his expression as he finally registered who Jester was was _priceless_.

"Nothin' to say, bud? That's kinda rude..." Jester's pretty pale face was still stretched in such a wide grin it resembled the Cheshire Cat's. "Alright, boys, let's get him set up in Ol' Sparky."

Joker and Scarecrow pulled Manny roughly out of the body bag and jammed him into the electric chair, both cackling in delight as the man squirmed and tried to fight his way out of their hold and out of the chair to no avail. Joker and Scarecrow strapped his arms and legs into the chair and stepped back, allowing Jester to approach and stand in front of him. She took in his appearance – he looked the same as he always had. Manny was on the shorter side, standing at 5'6". He had dark brown hair that was shaved down, dark brown eyes, dark brown skin, chubby cheeks, and he was still chubby everywhere else, too. His round eyes were as wide as saucers with panic, nostrils flaring with his short, desperate breaths as he stared at Jester.

"Gee, Craney," Jester chuckled, slowly beginning to circle the chair like a hawk – the same way Joker circled her during their first Arkham breakout. "I don't know how much more fear we can inflict at this point."

Scarecrow grinned at her, cocking his head and grazing the tips of the needles on his gauntlet down Manny's arm, gleefully cackling as Manny's shrill, piercing screams were muffled by the duct tape around his mouth. "Oh, my darling, this is just the beginning... I took the liberty of creating a very concentrated strain. This strain will surely give him a heart attack or force him to kill himself much faster than the gas or my other strains would."

"Is that what you want?" Joker was behind her, growling the question in her ear. It sent delightful chills down her spine and she smirked, blindly reaching behind her until she felt his hand grip her arm and carefully wrap it around the back of his neck. "Or would you prefer it if he suffered until _you _kill him?"

"I haven't decided yet," Jester mused, looming over Manny from behind. "Though the idea of him killing himself brings me _such_ joy – I've just the tool in mind for him to do it with."

"That's my girl," Joker purred, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Ready when you are."

Jester turned her head to the side and pressed a soft, quick kiss to Joker's lips before making her way around the chair and facing Manny again. She violently ripped the duct tape from his mouth and chuckled as he cried and hyperventilated, taking pleasure in the way he trembled and the way his chest heaved with fear. "Anything you wanna say to me before we go _Nightmare on Elm Street_ on your ass?" she crooned, leaning down and bringing her face closer to his, staring him right in the eye without even the slightest hint of fear or panic.

Manny shook his head quickly, wriggling in the chair. "I got nothin' to say to your crazy ass," he tried so hard to sound tough but his voice cracked and the three Rogues laughed. Joker's laugh caused Manny to tense up and his jaw snapped shut, clearly more terrified of the Clown Prince of Crime than he was of Jester or Scarecrow.

"Oh, I'm not _just_ crazy," Jester grabbed Manny's head and slammed it as hard as she could into the back of the chair, causing the man to scream in pain as she cracked his skull with the impact. "I'm also that hitwoman that I _know _you've heard about. Tell me Manny... when you and all your degenerate fucking homies found out – along with the rest of Gotham – that it was _me _all along... how fucking terrified were you? Did you sleep with one eye open at night? Did you hole up in your grandma's house and refuse to come out? Did you change your number, delete your social media, and alienate everyone we know to try and fall off the grid again?"

Manny glared at her and was bold enough to spit at her, but Jester dodged it just in time and laughed maniacally. "Ya missed me!" Jester goaded him. "What happened, _Luis? _Have I struck a nerve?"

"Fuck you," Manny hissed, looking enraged – all traces of fear were gone from his face. Jester put up her hand, staying Joker and Scarecrow who had both moved forward to subdue Manny in their own violent and creative ways in her defense.

"You already did, Luis," she used his real name once more, purposely goading him. His real first name was Luis – Manny was his father's name, and his father was a good guy. Manny liked to go by his father's name for some reason, always refusing to go by his real name. Jester always called him by his real first name whenever he was acting like an asshole and not like a man his late father would've been proud of – he hated it. "That's why we're here."

"Still telling that lie? Grow up," Manny rolled his eyes and Jester threw her head back as she laughed. Almost as soon as her laughter started, it stopped, and when she snapped her head back down her eyes were nearly black. She cocked her fist back as far as it would go and launched it forward with all the strength she could muster, connecting with his face. She cackled like a madwoman as blood poured from Manny's broken nose, raccoon eyes already beginning to form.

"Still telling _that _lie?" She countered, wiping her bloody fist off on his t-shirt with a look of disgust. "Should've worn a hazmat suit – God only knows what the fuck kind of diseases you have at this point."

"Don't forget, my dear – you're immune to nearly everything, remember?" Scarecrow grinned at her and placed his hand on her left shoulder, careful to keep the needle tips away from her skin. Joker was on her right side, snaking his arm around her waist.

"Not yet," Jester answered their silent question, smirking at Manny. "There are a couple of things I'd like to do first – things I've been wanting to do for _years_."

Joker laughed wickedly, releasing her as she moved about the room, carefully examining the contents of Scarecrow's lab. She noticed the large, secure gas chamber that had been meticulously installed in the far corner, hidden in the shadows of the dreary basement. She grinned as she examined it, admiring its design. "Very nice, Craney," she cooed, shooting her friend a wink. Scarecrow gave her a dramatic mock bow and she laughed, moving on from the gas chamber and over to what looked like a surgical tray full of surgical instruments.

"Looking for something specific?" Scarecrow asked, coming to stand beside her.

Joker stayed behind, grinning madly at Manny and not saying a word – scaring the man with his presence alone. He slowly circled the chair Manny was in, just like Jester had earlier, but his stride and his circles were more predatory and precise. He stalked the chair with purpose – it was clear from the way he moved that he was the predator, Manny was the prey, and he wasn't done playing with Manny just yet – he strongly reminded Jester of a hyena at that moment, causing her to chuckle at the irony. Joker was just like a wild hyena – in many, many ways.

"I need a hammer and a crowbar. I'd borrow Harley's bat but I don't want to taint it with his filthy, disgusting blood. He's not good enough to be graced with even a single crack from Harley's bat." Jester looped her arm through Scarecrow's, letting him lead her to a different corner of the basement where old tools and Joker's old _'torture toys'_ were kept.

"Happy early birthday," Scarecrow mused, leaning against the wall and watching with amusement as Jester enthusiastically dug through the big metal bin full of tools and weapons, finally pulling out exactly what she wanted – a hammer and a crowbar.

"Happy fucking birthday, indeed," Jester singsonged, literally skipping back over to Manny. "Now let's get this party started," she snarled, bringing the claw end of the hammer down into his kneecap. A loud snapping noise rang out across the basement, echoing in the space, and Manny's screams of agony quickly drowned it out. Joker laughed wickedly, watching closely as Jester continued to use the claw end of the rusty hammer to savagely beat Manny. Scarecrow stayed off to the side, leaning casually against the wall with a feral grin on his face, the sounds of Manny's screams and cries like music to his ears.

Jester was covered in blood spatters at this point. Joker counted 13 swings of the hammer so far and Jester was nowhere even close to being tired. She stuck to areas with more muscle and bone, not hitting him in the head, face, throat, or torso yet. She stuck to his kneecaps and his shoulders and calves, wanting to inflict as much pain as possible before she ripped into his face with the crowbar. She wanted to take her time and savor this – she wanted to enjoy the experience as much as possible and drag it out so she could think back on this instead of remembering screaming in her basement room as he brutalized her.

"I want music," she was panting, covered from head to toe in his blood and grinning madly. "I like to listen to music while I work, ya know?" She reached for her phone and connected it to the Bluetooth speaker she knew Scarecrow kept down here, scrolling through her Spotify playlists and finally landing on a song she found fitting for the occasion. She swayed to the song for a moment as the intro played, finally making her way back over to Manny and swinging on him like Babe Ruth with the crowbar, lodging it in the side of his face and tearing it back out mercilessly – taking a huge chunk of flesh from his cheek with it. His screams competed with the music as it played and Jester danced around like a madwoman, covered in his blood and swinging her crowbar around enthusiastically.

When Jester turned back towards Manny in her happy dance, she noticed Scarecrow and Joker looming menacingly over the battered and bloody man, Scarecrow flexing his fingers in his gauntlet as he prepared to inject Manny with enough fear toxin to break the minds of a dozen people. "Do it," Jester growled, her eyes flashing black as she stared at Manny. "I want to hear him scream and beg for mercy."

Scarecrow jammed his needle-tipped fingers into Manny's chest, just a few inches above his heart, and Joker cackled as Manny began to scream in terror, thrashing against the electric chair and struggling against his restraints.

Jester continued her dancing behind them, waving her free hand around like she was conducting an orchestra, getting lost in the song and the sounds of Manny's paralyzing fear and crippling agony.

"_Define your meaning of war_

_To me, it's what we do when we're bored_

_I feel the heat coming off of the blacktop_

_And it makes me want it more_

_Because I'm hyped up, out of control_

_If it's a fight, I'm ready to go_

_I wouldn't put my money on the other guy_

_If you know what I know, that I know_

_It's been a long time coming_

_And the table's turned around_

_'Cause one of us is goin'_

_One of us is goin' down _

_I'm not runnin'_

_It's a little different now_

_'Cause one of us is goin'_

_One of us is goin' down_

_Define your meaning of fun_

_Is it fucking, drugging, or guns?_

_I feel the heat coming off of the blacktop_

_So get ready for another one_

_Let's take a trip down memory lane_

_The words circling in my brain_

_You can treat this like another all the same_

_But don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain..."_

As if on cue, Jester slammed the hammer down on Manny's right hand, breaking it. She laughed gleefully, bringing it down five more times on each of his fingers, breaking them one by one. Once his right hand was completely shattered, she turned her hammer onto his left and did the same thing. Joker watched her, torn between being turned on by her extreme and belligerent displays of violence and being concerned about her. She hadn't done anything this savage to anyone since she murdered her ex – he remembered reading in her file that she had stabbed him 66 times... _postmortem._

"_...It's been a long time coming_

_And the table's turned around_

_'Cause one of us is goin'_

_One of us is goin' down _

_I'm not runnin'_

_It's a little different now_

_'Cause one of us is goin'_

_One of us is goin' down_

_This is hardly worth fighting for_

_But it's the little petty shit that I can't ignore_

_When my fist hits your face, and your face hits the floor_

_It'll be a long time coming_

_But you got the message now_

_'Cause I was never goin'_

_Yeah, you're the one that's goin' down_

_One of us is goin' down_

_I'm not running_

_It's a little different now_

_'Cause one of us is goin'_

_One of us is goin' down_

_One of us is goin' down_

_Down..." _

Jester had tossed her hammer down to the floor and was now leaning against Joker, trying to catch her breath. She watched Manny suffer from his fear of toxin-induced nightmare, all of the amusement and joy draining from her face. She was straight-faced, glaring at Manny as he screamed and cried, yelling about clowns and begging for help. She tried to imagine what he must be seeing but came up with nothing, not knowing what kind of hell Scarecrow thrust upon his victims with his toxin.

"How interesting," Scarecrow remarked, grinning at Manny's thrashing form in the electric chair. "Coulrophobia... the fear of clowns."

Joker laughed, bringing his face close to Manny's. "Did ya hear that, Manny? You're trapped in a basement experiencing your worst nightmare _with the objects of your nightmare in the room!" _Joker laughed uncontrollably, extremely amused at the irony of the situation.

Jester joined Joker in his laughter at Scarecrow's discovery. "Stupid fuck," she jeered, kicking Manny. "I always told him murderous, frightening, evil clowns were my favorites, that they brought me joy – he used to call me crazy for that." She burst out in a fit of giggles, grabbing onto Joker's arms to stay upright as she shook with her mirth. "Now look at me!"

The three Rogues laughed, drowning out the sound of Manny's cries and pleas for help as he thrashed and writhed, tears streaming down his broken and bloody face. They watched him, amused and intrigued until he finally began begging for the nightmare to end.

"_'Make it stop'_? You want it to stop, Luis?" Jester taunted him, knowing he couldn't hear her over the nightmare he was still trapped in, but it made her feel better to get these hateful, spiteful taunts out. "Didn't I ask you to stop? Didn't I _beg_ you, Luis? Didn't I cry, scream, and claw at you? But you didn't stop – oh _no_, you didn't stop. You destroyed me – I spent months feeling filthy, worthless, broken, unwanted, unloved, ashamed, humiliated, betrayed and _weak_. I tried to kill myself for what you did to me – for the way you beat me down, broke my spirit and made me hate and blame myself. It's _your_ turn now..."

Jester made her way back to the table with the surgical instruments on it and grabbed a little scalpel, skipping back over to the chair where Manny was crying and pleading incoherently. "Kill yourself," she snarled in his ear, handing him the scalpel. "You want it to stop? Then end it yourself – this is the only way."

She undid the straps on his right arm, leaving the left one strapped in and grinned as he gripped the scalpel tightly, his knuckles nearly white.

"You think he'll do it?" Joker asked, watching as Manny lifted the scalpel to his throat as he trembled and wept, his eyes still glossed over.

"Oh, he'll do it," Scarecrow insisted, grinning. "I've watched so many take their own lives – it's interesting. Some of them do it in such brutal ways – _desperate_ to escape their fears. Pathetic."

Jester leaned against Joker, her expression serious as could be as she watched Manny jam the scalpel into his throat, begging God for forgiveness just before slashing his own throat wide open, his blood spurting almost comically from his severed jugular as he bled out and died quickly in the chair. Jester forced herself to watch the entire thing – to see it through to the end. She waited for his nearly severed head to drop down to his chest before turning away, shaking out her arms and shuddering.

"You did well for someone squeamish with veins," Scarecrow assured her, patting her on the shoulder.

"That's my girl," Joker cooed, kissing the top of her head and wrapping his arms around her. "Let's get you upstairs and get you cleaned up."

Scarecrow followed them, quickly grabbing a clean syringe still wrapped in plastic and a few empty, clean tubes on his way out of the basement.

"What the hell is that for?" Jester immediately began to panic, shrinking away from Scarecrow and into Joker's side, her eyes already filling with tears.

Scarecrow tucked the items into his pocket and out of her sight, hoping it'd help to calm her, and put his hands up in surrender. "The test to determine the sex of the baby – it's a blood test, yes?"

Jester relaxed and nodded, watching Scarecrow carefully.

"They're for the doctor – I'm sure she doesn't have any supplies with her since she was brought here in such a _rush."_

"Smart," Joker muttered, wrapping an arm around Jester's shoulders. "You up for it, princess? Once you've showered, of course..."

Jester took a deep breath and nodded, heading for the grand staircase. "As long as you do it, Craney," she called over her shoulder, giving Scarecrow a small smile.

Scarecrow nodded at her, returning her smile with one of his own. "You bet, littlest clown."

Once Jester was out of sight, Scarecrow turned to face a very amused Joker, quirking an eyebrow at him. "'Craney?'" he asked.

Joker chuckled, clapping Scarecrow on the shoulder. "She gives nicknames to the people she loves the most – it's an affectionate thing, just let her do it. She likes to have nicknames for her loved ones that no one else would think of or use."

"Ah," Scarecrow nodded, adjusting his glasses on his face. "I suppose that means I'll have to come up with one for her."

"You already did," Joker raised his eyebrows at him, lifting his chin as he regarded Scarecrow. "You're the only one who calls her _'littlest clown.' _Believe me, she loves it. By the way, we're gonna need a new test subject." He winked at Scarecrow and made his way over to the grand staircase, taking the stairs two at a time to catch up to Jester and make sure she'd reach the fourth floor safely. Sure, he knew she could handle herself and she was probably fine, but ever since he found out she was pregnant, he couldn't help his new overprotective nature. All he knew was that his intuition told him to always be at her side, taking care of her and taking burdens off of her, and that's exactly what he would do.

He reached her on the second floor and swept her up into his arms, laughing with her as he practically ran up the stairs, eager to wash that bastard's blood off of her and out of her hair.

* * *

A few hours later, Jester was in the living room all cleaned up and dressed in Joker's black t-shirt that she always slept in and a pair of cotton shorts, snuggled up with Joker on the couch. Harley, Catwoman, Tommy, Johnny, Deadshot, and Poison Ivy were in the living room with them, everyone making small talk while Joker and Jester waited for the results of the blood test. Scarecrow had taken Jester's blood again, doing it as quickly and painlessly as he had the last time. He was currently in the basement with Doctor Davis, analyzing the blood for her since she didn't know how – after all, she was used to just sending blood and urine samples to the lab on the premises where her office was located.

Tommy had been tasked with cleaning up Manny's mangled corpse and did a fine job of it, getting rid of it completely and cleaning up the chair and floor so well that it looked as though nothing had ever happened. Jester had no idea how or where he disposed of the body – she was just glad that it was gone. She felt a lot better after washing herself off in a nice hot shower and after a nice soak in the bathtub with Joker. He had doted on her – even washing her hair in the shower and giving her a scalp massage that had her practically melting in his hands. She enjoyed the attention and the affection he was showering her with. Sure, she saw him every day but she had missed him while he was gone.

"I forgot about all the baby stuff," Jester sat up on the couch, swiveling her head around as she looked for all the boxes. Seeing none, she looked back at Joker and raised an eyebrow at him. He chuckled, his arms folded behind his head as he grinned at her.

"Dollface," he purred, beckoning her to lay back down. She did, albeit hesitantly, and he snaked his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her belly. He had been doing that constantly since they found out she was expecting and she loved it. "It's all upstairs. I had it moved from our bedroom to the guest room right next to ours."

"I wanna see all the onesies and blankets," Jester whined, resting her head on his chest and one hand over his heart.

"You gotta wait," Harley quipped, grinning at her from her seat in Deadshot's lap. "We got a surprise for ya, but you won't see it 'til tomorrow morning!"

"I hate surprises," Jester groaned dramatically, running her free hand through her purple locks.

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Deadshot rolled his eyes playfully at her and chuckled. "You'll like this one, kid. I promise."

Tommy was antsy in his seat, annoying Catwoman who was currently draped over his lap. "I can't wait to find out what it is," Tommy chirped, grinning from ear to ear at his slightly agitated cousin. "I hope it's a boy – I wanna teach him how to play baseball like your dad taught me."

Jester chuckled. "Oh, I can just hear my dad now..." She locked eyes with her cousin and mimicked her father, her impression of him spot-on. "_'Moogs, the kid is gonna be drafted into the NFL, I'm tellin' ya. He's my grandson – he's gonna be an athlete, just like the Big Dog!'_"

"'Moogs?'" Catwoman asked, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow at Jester.

"My dad's nickname for me since I was born – no clue where it came from." Jester smiled, fond memories of her dad flashing quickly through her mind. "He always wanted a son and didn't get one – safe to say my sister and I didn't turn out to be athletes. So when my nephew was born he was excited – until we found out first-hand that my nephew inherited none of my father's athletic prowess and has zero coordination... just like his dipshit father."

"That was a bummer," Tommy remarked. "I remember being at your house and your dad throwing Josh the football, and Josh just stood there. He let the ball just hit him and he shrugged at your dad and asked if he could go watch TV."

Jester and Tommy both laughed at the memory, remembering how her dad threw a fit about _'the kid not being an athlete and never making it to the NFL.' _

"I just want the kid to be smart," Joker supplied, stroking Jester's cheek with the back of his hand. "Smart and _funny_."

"You forgot good looking," Jester teased, tickling his throat with her fingertips. "The kid's gotta be good looking."

"With you as its mother, that kid will be gorgeous – male or female." Poison Ivy winked at Jester and Jester smiled brightly at her.

"Thanks, Ivy," Jester chirped.

"Uh... _hello_," Joker drawled, swiveling his head around to look at Poison Ivy. "The kid will have my DNA too... it'll be a looker for sure."

Everyone in the room chuckled at that, and Joker rolled his eyes. "We all know I'm the prettier one," he sighed, letting his head fall back down.

"Oh?" Jester poked at his chest, mock glaring at him. "Prettier than _me_? You are insane."

Joker laughed, carefully lifting her chin and pressing a kiss to her lips. "I'm the Joker, babe – jokes are my thing."

"Yeah, yeah." Jester winked at him and put her head back down on his chest, trying to fight off her exhaustion as his heartbeat lulled her to sleep. She didn't have to fight it off for too long – Scarecrow entered the living room a few minutes later with Doctor Davis in tow.

"Alright, clowns," Scarecrow's voice cut through the chatter and he grinned at Joker and Jester. "Are you ready to find out the gender of the baby?"

Jester nearly jumped off the couch in her excitement, held back by Joker's arms that were locked around her waist. He sat up with her, keeping her close to him as he stared at Scarecrow. "Let's hear it, Straw man," he urged, a tiny smile pulling up the corners of his crimson lips.

Scarecrow looked at Jester and winked at her, coming to sit on the other side of her on the couch. He motioned for Doctor Davis to come over as well and she did as he bade, leaving her post in the doorway. She looked nervous as she got closer to the Joker but put on a brave face and settled herself down on the arm of the couch, folding her hands neatly in her lap. She was smiling despite her fear, obviously knowing the gender already.

"It's a boy," Scarecrow looked mildly excited, grinning at both clowns and laughing when Jester launched herself into his arms and hugged him so tight she almost cut off his air supply.

"Oh, God likes me today!" Jester crowed, bursting into happy tears.

"Oh good, you're crying _again_," Joker teased, pulling her away from Scarecrow and into his arms.

"Shut up," she spat, smacking him on the arm. She buried her head in his chest and wept, thrilled that she was having a little boy and not a girl. She couldn't see it, but Joker had a wide grin on his face, his eyes glittering with joy.

"A mini-me," Joker purred, his chest swelling with pride. "Good luck to all of ya – especially you, princess," he threw his head back and laughed, his heart nearly bursting with the excitement and happiness he was experiencing.

"He's still gonna have half of me in him, you know," Jester reminded him, pulling slightly away from him so she could wipe her eyes. "Which means that not only will he be extremely good looking, but he'll have my brains and my wit."

Joker rolled his eyes. "You mean _my _brains and _my _wit."

"On the contrary, my love," Jester teased, her eyes full of mischief. "Have you forgotten the wild goose chase I sent you on and how long it took you to finally get me?"

Joker scowled at her. "You're ruining all my fun," he teased.

"I mean... I _am _good at it," Jester laughed with the rest of their group, remembering that they weren't alone in the room.

Tommy looked ecstatic, nearly bouncing in his seat. "I knew it!" he yelled, pumping his fist into the air. "I knew it!"

"You know when the little man is old enough he's gonna be training with me, right?" Deadshot was smiling at Jester.

"Of course," Jester agreed, smiling back at him.

"Yes... he needs to be able to protect himself and his mother," Joker's voice was serious and so was his expression. "He's going to learn from all of us – as long as the Bat and his little cronies are still hanging around, nobody's safe."

"Well you guys can teach him all the gun and fighting stuff – I'm gonna teach him how to beat the snot out of people with a melee weapon!" Harley was wiggling excitedly in Deadshot's lap, twirling her pigtails.

"That means I get to teach him my tricks – scaling buildings, stealing, getting away from law enforcement and Batman with ease." Catwoman looked wicked, her eyes flashing and a smirk on her lips.

"And I can teach him botany and about the importance of plants and protecting the earth." Poison Ivy had a dreamy look on her green face, swinging lazily in yet another vine hammock she had made.

"This kid is gonna have one hell of a skill set," Johnny mused, looking just as excited as everyone else in the room. "I just can't wait to see the kid once he's born."

"Aw, Johnny boy," Jester cooed, getting all teary-eyed again. "You're the sweetest."

Johnny chuckled and shook his head. "It'll be nice having a little one around. Kids can be pretty entertaining."

"Speak for yourself," Deadshot laughed, shaking his head. "Kids can be fuckin' crazy – you gotta love 'em, though."

Scarecrow and Doctor Davis were quiet, seeming quite comfortable sitting next to each other on the couch.

"Congratulations," Doctor Davis said, smiling at Jester. "You got what you wanted."

Jester smiled back. "Thanks, Doc. I sure did!"

Scarecrow chuckled, slinging an arm around Jester's shoulders. "You wanted a boy, didn't you?"

Jester nodded excitedly, resting her hands on her tiny belly. "Sure did," she confirmed, nodding enthusiastically. "I could never deal with a hormonal, pubescent girl with my genes – _and _my temper. No way."

Everyone laughed at that, not noticing the wetness in Joker's eyes and the way he clutched Jester closer to him as if she'd disappear if he let her go. He was overwhelmed with several emotions he wasn't used to and didn't know how to process, but he was strangely okay with it. Jester grounded him, even when she wasn't saying or doing anything. Her presence alone calmed him and kept the Madness at bay – even just the thought of her could bring him peace. As long as he had her, he could handle anything – especially _emotions_.

"I'm so tired," Jester groaned, snuggling closer to him.

"Let's get you to bed, Mama," Joker whispered, kissing her forehead. The couple bid everyone goodnight and headed up to the master bedroom to get some much-needed rest, leaving the rest of the group to work on the surprise they had for her the following morning.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

* * *

"... and when you're old enough, you'll run Daddy's club and Gotham – and you'll have a Lamborghini of your very own!"

Jester stirred from her sleep, wondering if she was really hearing Joker whispering or if it was part of a dream. She slowly opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep from them and yawning.

"A well-tailored suit is key, my boy," Joker was still whispering to Jester's belly, his hands resting on her hips. "You gotta have a few of them – you'll have meetings _constantly."_

Jester lifted her head a little, following the sound of Joker's voice and found him laying across the bed with his head close to her bare belly – she had slept naked, wanting skin-to-skin contact with Joker while they slept.

"Take it from me, kiddo – don't touch any of your Aunt Ivy's plants. She's nearly killed me for doing that once or twice. One might say she's a bit of a _fanatic." _

"Are you talking to the baby?" Jester sounded as groggy as she felt, startling the Joker slightly.

He grinned up at her, his eyes a little brighter than usual. "Life lessons," he explained.

Jester chuckled, running a hand through his disheveled green hair. "So I heard," she mused, winking at him. "I don't think he'll remember, though."

"I'm practicing," Joker insisted. "Best to start early – I want to be an expert at fatherhood by the time he makes his debut."

She shook her head at him and smiled. "We're both going to be pretty shitty at it in the beginning, but we'll be fine once we get the hang of it. Luckily for us, we've got people like Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot around who have experience with kids and are good with them."

Joker laughed and kissed her belly before crawling back up the bed and flopping down on his back beside her. "I didn't sleep all night, you know," he muttered, staring up at the ceiling.

"Anxious?" Jester asked, giving him a knowing look.

Joker nodded. "If we were having a girl, I probably wouldn't be. After all, little girls love their daddies – their daddies are their heroes, their protectors. But boys... well, boys love their mothers more and can be quite critical of their fathers."

"You're worried about our son not liking you?" Jester bit back her laugh, knowing Joker would take it as her laughing at his fears and not because she found it impossible that their child would resent him in any way.

"I suppose," he admitted. "I'm concerned he'll despise me once he's old enough to see me for the monster I truly am."

"We're both monsters, and we both created him. If anything, I'm more afraid of him turning out to be just like us – I want a better life and future for him than we had Sure, things are good for us right now, but we'll always be targeted by the stupid Bat-family, the GCPD, the Feds, and other assholes who don't like us."

"Songbird," Joker turned to face her, leveling her with a serious look. "You and I both know he's going to grow up to be exactly like us – the difference is that he'll be better equipped to handle it and he'll be at an advantage."

"Because he'll be raised by all of us – he'll be extremely intelligent, meticulous, cunning, strong, and ruthless. He'll be a murderer, J... just like us." Jester's voice dropped with her last words, a sad look marring her face.

"He won't have a choice, little bird," Joker argued. "_'The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children.'_"

"Oh, for the love of God – no pun intended," Jester sighed and grasped Joker's hand in hers. "Neither Shakespeare nor God have any say in what befalls our child, J. That's your paranoia speaking. Sure, if people find out we have a child they'll target him to make us suffer and bend us to their will, but no one will ever know about him."

"So the boy is to live his entire life hidden away? Be realistic, Jester – we can't just lock him away in this mansion forever. His mind will _rot. _He'll hate us."

"Fine," Jester conceded. "Just know this – the _second _he has a run-in with anyone in the Bat-family or the GCPD, I'm going to skin you alive and wear your hide like a fucking cape."

"Did you miss the part where the boy is _also_ being raised by Deadshot, Harley, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, Tommy, and Johnny? He will be untouchable, my darling." Joker chuckled at her annoyed expression and kissed her before she could protest, pulling her close to him. When he finally released her, she looked happier and more relaxed. "Shall we go get some breakfast, princess?"

Jester grinned and sat up, untangling her legs from the bedding.

"Let me," Joker singsonged, already up and heading towards the closet to retrieve her purple and black robe and her slippers. He came over to her and put them on her, laughing when she rolled her eyes in annoyance at him.

"I can do these things myself, you know," she reminded him.

"Oh, I know you can," Joker agreed. "I like to do it all _for_ you – besides, when your belly is bigger than a beach ball, you'll need me to help you with these things. It's just more practice, toots."

"I will _not _be bigger than a beach ball, you ass!" Jester glared at him and swatted at him, missing him by a hair.

Joker cackled in response, slinging an arm over her shoulders as they made their way out of their bedroom and downstairs to the dining room.

* * *

"So, where's this surprise?" Jester asked, glaring at her friends. "I've been waiting forever."

"Jesus," Deadshot muttered, shaking his head. "I told y'all she'd be hostile as hell."

"Nice to see ya too, Jestah," Harley quipped, grinning at her friend across the table.

"Aren't you going to eat anything, littlest clown?" Scarecrow was smirking at Jester, amused at her impatience.

"I wanna know what the surprise is first," Jester crossed her arms stubbornly, still glaring at all of her friends.

"Eat first," Joker drawled, not looking up from his newspaper. "Then you can have a surprise."

"Sure thing, pops," Jester's sarcasm didn't go unnoticed. Harley was giggling madly, which seemed to annoy Joker even more.

Joker set down his newspaper and shot Jester an exasperated look. "Songbird, _please _just eat your breakfast. The surprise will still be there when you're done."

"You sound like a proper father already," Scarecrow mused, chuckling when Joker rolled his eyes at him.

Jester, Joker, Scarecrow, Harley and Deadshot were the only ones at breakfast this morning. Poison Ivy was in her greenhouse tending to her _'babies'_. Tommy and Johnny had gotten up earlier and took Catwoman with them to the Funhouse to oversee the Joker's new henchmen and the progress they were making. Doctor Davis was upstairs in her room, either still asleep or reading – no one knew for sure.

Jester quickly scarfed down a short stack of french toast, some bacon, a cinnamon bun, and two cups of coffee. Once she was finished, she stood up and looked expectantly at everyone else. "Well? Is it surprise time now?"

Deadshot shook his head and got up from his seat, making his way over to the doorway. "Come on, kid," he chuckled as she sped walked over to him. "Let's go."

Harley, Scarecrow, and Joker got up and followed Deadshot and Jester up to the guest room next to the master bedroom on the fourth floor. The door was closed and had a black ribbon wrapped around it with a giant bow in the center.

"Go on, open it," Deadshot urged, motioning with his arm to the door.

Jester quirked an eyebrow at him and the others before reaching for the doorknob, slowly opening the door. Once she stepped into the room, she was flabbergasted. The room had been painted purple, green, and black in thick, wide stripes. The black hardwood floor was decorated with a fluffy green rectangular rug that stretched across a good portion of it. There was a black glider chair with a matching ottoman, both with purple cushions in the left corner. A black crib sat dead-center in front of the large bay window in the back of the room.

As Jester made her way further into the room, she noticed a clown mobile over the crib with matching clown bedding in it and a clown blanket draped neatly over the side of it. The bay window had long green and purple noise and light-blocking curtains on it, opened up to let some light into the room. The walk-in closet was full of all the baby clothes she had ordered, all neatly hung up or folded into a small black dresser tucked into the back of the closet. A wide grin spread across her face as she looked through all of the clothes, not recognizing some and realizing they must've been gifts from her friends.

She made her way back out of the closet and noticed a beautiful black quilt rack in the corner opposite the glider, complete with fleece and cashmere blankets in all different colors – pink, purple, blue, green, black, red, even orange. There were also two gorgeous quilts on the rack that she assumed must've been custom made. One was pink, blue, and white with clowns all over it, and the other had a large red and black diamond pattern on it. She noticed another blanket folded neatly underneath the quilts and burst into tears as soon as she picked it up and saw the picture on it. It was a large fleece blanket and the image on it was one of her favorite pictures of her father. He was holding Jester as a baby in the crook of his arm the day she was born, grinning like the Cheshire Cat as he looked at the camera. She knew instantly that her cousin Tommy had to be behind this blanket – no one else could've or would've done this.

Joker had slowly made his way around the room, giving Jester space and time to take everything in before he made his own sweep. He came over to her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, looking over her shoulder at the blanket she held in her hands.

"That's nice," he whispered, studying the image closely. "Is that you?"

Jester simply nodded, at a complete loss for words. "Yeah. This was the day I was born."

"Tommy's a good kid," Joker grinned, amused by the scowl on baby Jester's face in the photo.

"I can't believe you guys did all of this," Jester muttered, turning slowly to face Scarecrow, Deadshot and Harley who were all standing in the doorway, watching her with smiles on their faces.

"Do ya like it?" Harley chirped, bouncing excitedly where she stood.

"I love it," Jester admitted, tears still streaming down her face. She was still clutching the blanket in her hands, refusing to put it back just yet. "I really can't believe this."

"It took us a few days, but we got it done," Deadshot said, looking around the room. "We all had a hand in it – your cousin Tommy painted it. It's what he did professionally before he joined the dark side, after all."

Jester chuckled, nodding. "He's damn good at it."

"Who built the furniture?" Joker asked, looking over at the black crib.

"All of us had a hand in it," Scarecrow answered, shrugging. "Apparently I'm no good at woodwork."

Jester and Joker laughed at that, picturing Scarecrow trying to build anything with his hands.

"Thank you, guys," Jester's voice broke, crying even harder the more she thought about how much time and effort they had all put into this. She made her way over to them and they pulled her into a big group hug, laughing at how emotional she was over it.

"Are you done being a brat now?" Deadshot teased, ruffling her hair.

She swatted at him and stepped back once they released her, wiping her cheeks with her fingers as she chuckled. "Shut up!"

"I'm glad ya like it," Harley pulled her into another hug, squeezing her a little as she held her. "I hope you like the Harley quilt!"

"I had a feeling you were behind that one," Jester laughed. "And the clown mobile and bedding – that was _definitely _you."

"Actually, it wasn't," Harley said, glancing over at Scarecrow and grinning.

Jester looked at Scarecrow and raised her eyebrows, not believing what Harley was implying. "Seriously?" she asked, incredulous.

Scarecrow gave her a small smile and a curt nod, his hands folded behind his back as he leaned against the wall. Jester rushed over to him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, crying again.

Joker made his way over to them after looking at all the baby clothes in the closet, laughing at Jester's mini-meltdown. "You know, little bird, if you gathered all your tears from the past couple of months together, you could probably fill up our spa tub with them."

"Fuck you," Jester grumbled, her face still pressed against Scarecrow's chest. She still hadn't let go of him, and Scarecrow chuckled, giving Joker a 'what can you do?' look.

"You guys did a really nice job in here," Joker complimented. "It's perfect." It didn't show on his face, but he meant it.

* * *

"I'm sorry, I must've heard you wrong. I thought you said my mother contacted you hoping to meet with me and speak to me," Jester's eyes were darkening dangerously fast, her mouth in a thin line as she stared at Tommy.

Tommy sighed, pulling his phone from his pocket and unlocking it. He pulled up the text he received from Jester's mother and held his phone out to her, giving her an apologetic look when she took it and read the text message for herself.

_'Hi Tommy, it's your Aunt Rose. I was hoping you'd been in contact with Raven or have seen her recently – I would like to meet with her as soon as possible. Call me, please.' _

It was 2 and a half months after the guest bedroom surprise. Jester was now 14 weeks pregnant, which meant she was at 28 weeks. She wasn't sleeping well, her belly had grown significantly, she was in loads of pain at night from the baby's growth and Braxton Hicks contractions, her breasts were fuller which annoyed her because she didn't fit into her bras any longer, and she wasn't too thrilled about wearing maternity clothes or having to pee constantly. This was the icing on a shitty cake.

"I'm going to kill her," Jester snarled, thrusting Tommy's phone back at him. "I'm going to poison her to death – very slowly, like those 'Angel of Death' nurses back in the day."

"Gorgeous," Joker chimed in, approaching her carefully – she had been quite nasty lately due to the sleep deprivation, pain, hormones, and general rage at being pregnant and uncomfortable in the summer. "Why don't you let me handle it? I can run you a nice cool bath and get you tucked into bed for a nap."

"Oh, fuck off," Jester snapped. "I don't want a fucking bath, I'll take a nap when I damn well please, and I'll handle _my _psycho mother."

"Littlest clown," Scarecrow cooed, carefully approaching her much the same as Joker had and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Would you mind keeping me company while I sanitize the baby's room? I know you love sitting in the glider and I immensely enjoy your companionship."

Jester hesitated for a moment, thinking it over before nodding her agreement. "Alright," she conceded. She turned her attention to Joker and frowned. "I'm sorry I'm such a mean old bitch," she said sheepishly. "I don't mean it, I promise."

"I'd be angry too if I was enduring what you are," Joker said calmly, giving her one of his most charming grins. "I love you. Go spend some time with Scaredy Crow. I'll handle Rose."

Jester gave him a quick hug and kiss before also hugging Tommy and walking with Scarecrow towards the grand staircase. She glared at the stairs, gripping the banister so tight her knuckles were white. "We need a fucking elevator in here," she spat.

"I know, my dear. This is around the time when you get short of breath, isn't it? Let's take it slow." Scarecrow smiled at her and wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, supporting her as they made their way carefully up the stairs one by one, taking their sweet time. Scarecrow, for some reason, seemed to have a way with Jester when she was irate and 30 seconds from going on a killing spree – he had been intervening a lot lately with Jester, calming her down and distracting her when she was close to losing her temper.

When they got to the baby's room, Scarecrow escorted her to the glider and waited patiently as she settled herself into it. He grabbed the blanket Tommy had made for her and the baby and gently laid it on top of her, tucking her in. "Would you like anything else before I get started?"

"No, thank you. You're so good to me, Craney. I hope you know I appreciate it – I'm sure everyone else does too." Jester blushed a little, embarrassed by her outbursts and temper flares lately – sure, she was pregnant and exhausted, but it wasn't any reason to be so nasty and irate all the time. She just couldn't help it.

"It's my pleasure," Scarecrow assured her, planting a quick, soft kiss on her forehead. "Truly."

Jester smiled, drifting off to sleep before Scarecrow even made it across the large room. He looked back at her and chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "Women," he muttered, getting started on cleaning the floors.

* * *

"I'm not gonna kill her," Joker drawled, rolling his eyes. "I'm just gonna talk to her."

Tommy still looked apprehensive. They were both out on the back deck with Deadshot, Johnny, and Harley. "She's going to freak the fuck out, man."

"That's the point, kiddo," Joker chirped, winking at him. "I want to give her just a little taste of the trauma and abuse she's forced upon Jester her entire life."

"Honestly Tommy, it's probably better to let J do it," Deadshot agreed, cocking his head to the side. "If I get within arms reach of her, I'm strangling the bitch."

"I wanna smash her brains outta her skull," Harley was gritting her teeth, swinging her bat tensely at her side. "I _hate _the broad."

"See? In a rare moment of irony, _I'm_ the rational one here!" Joker threw his head back and laughed.

"Fine. I'll set it up, but I'm coming with you." Tommy raised an eyebrow at Joker and almost flinched when Joker's expression turned serious and he rested a hand on Tommy's shoulder.

"I can't have you there," Joker said sternly, giving Tommy a hard look. "I can't have anyone knowing who you are or that you are with us – especially not her. She's a fuckin' loudmouth."

Tommy sighed. "I forgot," he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just figured I'd be a good mediator, you know?"

"Oh, mediation won't be necessary," Joker quipped. "I don't _want _the meeting to go well I don't want her to try and contact Jester ever again. Make the call, kid."

Tommy pulled his phone out of his pocket and called his Aunt Rose, trying to ignore the tension on the deck as the line rang.

"_Hello?" _she was using her usual 'nice voice', as Jester called it.

"Hi Aunt Rose," Tommy forced his usual cheerfulness into his tone, glancing at Joker who was grinning like the cat that got the cream. "I talked to Jester and she's willing to meet with you."

"_Oh, wow. Okay. I didn't think she'd agree to it – where should I meet her, and what time?" _She sounded apprehensive, but Tommy brushed it off and maintained his chipper facade.

He ignored her comment about her disbelief and answered her question. "It has to be outside of Gotham, which I'm sure you can understand." Before she cut him off, he bulldozed his way to the bottom line. "She will meet you at the docks later today – 7 PM was the earliest she could do."

"_The docks? Tommy, that's a bad area... I'm not sure about that. Can't she meet me at a Dunkin Donuts or something? Is she there? Let me talk to her." _Rose's voice was laced with her fear, and Tommy reminded himself of the day they kidnapped Mike. He forced the memory of Jester weeping in the dirt, pained and angry, and the catatonic state she had gone into after dealing with her mother to the front of his mind to chase away the guilt he felt at setting up his Aunt and godmother.

"She's not here at the moment – she's busy. She can't go to a place like Dunkin Donuts, Aunt Rose – you know she's on the Most Wanted list. She can't just walk into a coffee shop or a restaurant. She can meet you at the docks at 7. You'll be fine, I promise." He noticed the death glare Joker was fixing him with and swallowed, saying a quick, silent prayer to God to forgive him for what he was about to do. "I'll be there, I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"_I really don't like this, Thomas," _Rose was still extremely apprehensive and Tommy sighed. _"I'll be there at 7, I'll text you when I'm on my way to make sure you're there." _

"Alright, Aunt Rose," Tommy said neutrally. "Follow the dirt path to the abandoned warehouses – go all the way to the end, to the waterfront. You'll see a newer looking warehouse in the back, surrounded by trees. That's where we'll be. Park your car on the side facing the trees – not the waterfront. I'll see you at 7."

Joker grinned at him, shooting him two thumbs up. He covered his mouth with his goofy grin tattoo, stifling his laughter. Tommy fought back the urge to vomit as he confirmed with his Aunt Rose, said a polite goodbye and hung up. "Just don't kill her, man," Tommy muttered, turning swiftly on his heel and speed-walking into the house.

"That was hard for him," Harley observed, watching Tommy as he walked away. She noticed the way he had paled and the regretful expression that marred his handsome face and felt just a little bad. "She's his godmother."

"He'll get over it," Joker said flippantly, waving his hand in dismissal. "I'm not going to lay a single finger on her – I'm just going to frighten her. A little psychological warfare never killed anyone." He cackled as he walked back into the house, making his way up to the master bedroom to prepare himself for the meeting with Jester's mother in a couple of hours.

Harley and Deadshot watched him go, Harley frowning and Deadshot stoic as ever.

"Tommy will get over it," Deadshot insisted, wrapping an arm around Harley. "He loves Jester more than his Aunt Rose – believe me. He saw Jester that day – he knows how much she suffers just because of that vile woman. He'll understand eventually. His loyalty is admirable but it'll be his downfall if he can't put it aside in situations like this."

Harley simply nodded, wrapping an arm around Deadshot's middle. "Let's hit the training grounds – I gotta focus on somethin' else for a while."

Deadshot chuckled and escorted her into the backyard and to the line of trees that concealed the training grounds, carefully pulling her through them and grinning as she made a beeline right for the boxing ring they had built when they all first moved in. "Hand-to-hand combat it is, then," he called to her, making his way to the ring and grinning when he noticed she had forgone the gloves. This would be a very productive and interesting training session.

* * *

"Talk," Jester commanded, not looking up from her book as Tommy entered the living room. She had seen the tortured expression on his face out of the corner of her eye – not much got past her, after all.

Joker had left about an hour ago, all dressed up and looking wicked. He had worn his black button-up, mostly unbuttoned as usual, with his gold and black blazer and black pants. He had worn a pair of gold alligator skin oxford shoes that Jester had never seen before, and although she opposed anything made from animal hide, she had liked the way they looked on him. She knew he'd be going to his new club, Giggles, after he met with her mother to entertain some clients and business meetings – he had Smiles burned down a few weeks ago, trying to throw Batman off track. Giggles was built shortly after, not too far from the mansion, and was bigger and ritzier than Smiles was.

Instead of bright and ritzy like Smiles was, Giggles was dark and gave off a dangerous, thrilling kind of vibe. There were three floors to the new club, all soundproofed and guarded by frightening looking henchmen as big as houses. The first floor was a regular club with black walls and black hardwood flooring. There was a large, oval-shaped bar in the center of the room with comfy leather cushioned stools bolted to the floor around it. There were black lights intricately placed all over the first floor in the ceiling and long strips down the walls, encouraging customers to wear white and neon colors that would light up under them.

The second floor was the strip club. The walls and floors were made of onyx, the stages and cages were made of white marble to contrast the darkness and were lit up with different colored neon lights. There was also a bar on this floor – it was built into the back wall, big and wide enough for a lot of patrons to sit at and to house three separate cages in. The bar was made of white marble and just like the bar on the first floor, this one had comfy leather cushioned chairs bolted to the floor surrounding it. Both the first and second floors housed VIP sections just like Smiles had where the Joker and his special guests could sit and drink.

The third floor was restricted, only ever used for Joker's business meetings. He had cameras built into the wall so he could watch over both floors of the club during meetings. This room had a desk and a large, oval table just like Smiles had, except this table was big enough to host 30 people instead of 10. The walls were decorated with blood red, intricately designed wallpaper and the floors were black hardwood. There was a huge, elegant chandelier suspended over the oval table made of black gold and diamonds. He had a hidden armory built into the wall behind his desk in this room – it opened with a code that only Joker, Jester, and Deadshot knew that had to be typed into an old looking calculator that was wired into the bottom right drawer of his desk. It was covered by a giant Joker card that was painted into the wall – the mouth on the Joker was smeared with red spray paint to mirror Joker's own crimson smeared grin and its eyes were blacked out. It was Joker's favorite thing in the room aside from the custom made chandelier.

Overall, the new club brought in tons of money and was a hell of a lot nicer than Smiles was. Jester had the pleasure of doing a walk-through after it was finished and had fallen in love with it. Joker hadn't allowed her to spend any time there yet, wanting her to stay home at the mansion during her pregnancy so she and their unborn son would be safe. Of course, she wasn't happy about it, but she understood, and Joker's promise that she could be there as much as she wanted after the baby was born certainly helped to stay her temper.

"I had to set your mom up," Tommy spit the words out so fast it took Jester a moment to process them. He plopped down on the couch next to her, looking miserable, and she chuckled.

"Tommy," she waited until he finally looked at her before continuing. "You wanted this, remember? You wanted this lifestyle – what you did was a part of it. I know you love my mom and you're loyal to the family, but it'll kill you if you keep it up. You have a choice to make. You can't have one foot out the door with us – you've gotta be all in."

"I know," Tommy agreed, draping his arms over the back of the sofa. "It's just difficult. I feel like I'm betraying your dad if I don't take care of your mom, sister, and nephew. He'd kill me for what I just did."

"I know," Jester muttered, closing her book and tossing it to the coffee table. "I used to let that guilt control me and it nearly killed me. My dad always forced me to reconcile with my mother and to apologize even when I wasn't the wrong one, and I did it because I respected and loved him enough to swallow my pride. However," she ruffled Tommy's hair and gave him a small, reassuring smile. "I finally accepted that she's nothing but a toxic, abusive, narcissistic liar and that was the day I stopped caring what my dead father would say or think. At the end of the day, it's not about what he would say or how he would feel – it's about _my _well-being, _my _feelings. My dad loved me enough to always forgive me – that's enough for me. I remind myself every day that no matter what I did or how badly I ever disappointed him, he always forgave me."

Tommy nodded, pulling Jester into a hug. "I'm with you, cuz," he whispered. "I know I've gotta make a choice and I choose you. I spent too many years being shitty to you and hurting you, I'll never do it again. If that means cutting off the family, then fine – that's what I'll do."

"You don't have to if it hurts you, Tommy. I'd never force you to do anything that would cause you any kind of pain or suffering. You just can't have one foot out the door here with us – the second J sniffs out any kind of disloyalty or lie, he'll kill you. I can't let that happen."

"I know," Tommy said. "That's why I won't put you in that position – I'd rather be here with you guys anyway."

"You've become stronger with us," Jester said, patting his back as they separated. "Selina had a big part in that – she's made you tougher."

"Gotta be tough to protect the biggest hitwoman in Gotham," Tommy joked, nudging her with his elbow. "Why didn't you tell me what you were doing – the night Joker kidnapped me and you and Deadshot came to get me, why didn't you say anything?"

"You were already terrified and shocked enough. You were hostage to the Joker, of all people, and your cousin – a convicted murderer – had escaped Arkham Asylum. I thought anything else might've catapulted you into a nervous breakdown."

"At that point, a Siberian tiger could've dropped from the ceiling and gutted me, and I still wouldn't have been as shocked as I was to be kidnapped and held hostage by the Joker so he could bribe my little cousin – the convicted murderer and Arkham escapee – into coming to see him."

They both laughed at that, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"You've got a point," Jester admitted, grinning at Tommy. "I just wasn't ready for you to know who I was, I guess. It's one thing to kill a man in self-defense, it's another to willingly murder hundreds of men for crimes they committed against women I don't even know."

"I think what you did – what you _do –_ is a good thing. Sure, murder is bad and wrong and all that," he rolled his eyes and Jester chuckled, "but I think some people just don't deserve to walk the earth anymore."

"That's exactly how I feel," Jester agreed. "The law sure as shit ain't punishing them – and even then, if they _do _get convicted and sentenced, they're back out in the blink of an eye on _'good behavior'. _There's no solution other than killing them – I don't give a shit who says otherwise and who doesn't like it."

Tommy nodded, processing everything as he leaned back against the cushions. "I cried after what I did to Mike, you know," he said softly, not looking at her.

"That's okay," Jester reassured him. "I cried after I killed Damian."

"You did?" Tommy looked shocked, and Jester smirked at him.

"I did... but not because I felt bad or anything. I don't regret what I did – I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Jester looked Tommy directly in the eye as she spoke. "I cried because I was in Arkham and that scared me – it was like Four Winds all over again and I was terrified. The guards had assaulted me, I was in an asylum I knew I'd never leave, and I was angry at being dumped there and painted as a bad person for killing in self-defense. They painted me as a monster – I'm 5'2", 108 pounds on a good day and Damian was 6'2", 200 pounds – and they painted Damian as a poor, defenseless victim of _'senseless violence'._ I was also crying because I was terrified of myself – I _enjoyed _killing Damian, and I wanted to do it again and again, and that scared the shit out of me. That was the moment I knew there was no going back and I'd never, ever be allowed back into society."

"So you cried out of anger?" Tommy clarified, cocking his head a little as he regarded her.

Jester nodded. "Pretty much," she confirmed. "And you?"

"I cried because it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would to nearly kill someone. I hate Mike's guts, and the only thing that bothered me about carving up his face was the gore... not the actual act."

Jester grinned at her cousin, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "You enjoyed it," she prodded.

Tommy nodded, a grim expression on his face. "Yeah... I enjoyed causing him pain. I felt like a monster, but it felt _good. _I was disappointed that you had decided not to kill him – that's why I cried. I guess I had the same realization that you did – I knew there was no going back for me, that I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster. Think of it this way – in Ancient Rome, they had gladiators, right? They pit two humans or more against each other, even against wild animals like lions, to fight to the death for _entertainment_. That was legal – it was the Ancient Romans' version of modern-day television, for fucks sake. Why do you think people watch the news? There's never anything good on the news – people watch it for entertainment. They see video recordings of shootings, murders, robberies, hit-and-runs, and they don't even flinch. They watch it again and again, day after day, and do you know why they do it? It's entertainment. Those same people will stick up their noses at people like us as if they're better than us, but the truth is this – if we did what we did to Mike in front of an audience, they'd _watch_. Sure, some would scream, cry, maybe even vomit, and some would run – but most of them would watch the entire thing happen, unable to tear their eyes away. It's human nature – we're all killers. It's instinct. It's our history. It's how the human race has survived so long. It'll always be a form of entertainment, too. So no, there's nothing wrong with us – we aren't monsters, we're just people doing what everyone else doesn't have the balls to."

Tommy shrugged, mulling everything Jester said over in his head. "It doesn't explain why Joker does the things he does," Tommy muttered, his eyebrows furrowed.

Jester chuckled. "Doesn't it? He kills because it amuses him – don't you remember seeing him on live TV before you ever met him? He would cause absolute chaos and so much death and he'd laugh about it. He'd be cackling over the sounds of gunfire, sirens, screams, and crying. He kills because he wants to – because it entertains him – because it's just who he is. He's freer than anyone else I've ever known – he does what he wants, when he wants, and never thinks about it again. He doesn't torture himself by wondering why he is the way he is or why he does the things he does – he makes no apologies and he never seeks forgiveness because he doesn't want or need it. He doesn't concern himself with right and wrong, he doesn't care. That's why he sleeps peacefully at night – there's no remorse, no guilt – he has no conscience."

Tommy just nodded, not saying a word. Jester had a point – the only reason anyone ever felt guilt or remorse was because they were convinced they had done something wrong – if you take away the right versus wrong aspect of everything, there's no guilt or remorse to haunt you at night.

"Here," Jester smiled and grabbed Tommy's hand, placing it on her belly. "He's kicking."

Tommy's eyes widened as he felt the baby kick and tears pricked at his eyes. "Oh my god," he muttered, staring at Jester's belly. He felt the baby kick repeatedly where his hand was and tried as hard as he could not to cry.

Jester chuckled, resting her hands on either side of her belly. "You should've seen Joker's face the first time he felt the baby kick," she mused. "He was terrified of it – he thought the baby was trying to force his way out of my belly."

Tommy laughed, shaking his head. "Not used to kids, is he?"

"Not at all," Jester confirmed. "Hell, the day he shook Josh's hand was the first time he ever spoke to a little kid, let alone shook one's hand and had a conversation."

"He did fine, though," Tommy said, keeping his hand and eyes on Jester's belly. "Josh loved him."

"I know," Jester grinned, thinking back to how her nephew had warmed up to the Joker.

"You guys think of any names yet?"

Jester laughed, causing the baby to kick again. "That's the thing – we've thought of too many and can't seem to agree on one because we're too busy arguing with each other about how stupid and awful the other person's choices are."

"Sounds about right," Tommy laughed, finally taking his hand away. "Tell me some of them."

"Oh man," Jester inhaled sharply, trying to remember all the names they had discussed so far. "Alright, bear with me, I'm gonna just throw 'em all out there."

Tommy nodded, watching her carefully as she shifted on the couch to make herself more comfortable. He gave her room so she could lay back, draping her legs over his lap. "Of course David is on the table – but I'm not sure I want to name him after my dad. I always thought if I ever decided to have children and had a boy that I'd name him after my dad, but I just feel like 'David' isn't fit for a child created by two psychopaths."

Tommy laughed. "You're probably right. Just remember, it can always be his middle name."

"Exactly," Jester agreed. "So _my _choices are Sergio, Conrad, Klaus, Ray, Ralph, Maverick, Santino, Damon, Rogue, and Jack. _J's_ choices are Lucifer," she gave Tommy a pointed look and he stifled his laughter, nodding at her to continue, "King, Prince, Dante, Rebel, Ranger, Cain – yes, like the first murderer in the Bible, Gunner, Cash, Duke, Raven, and Chaos."

Tommy couldn't stifle his laughter anymore and laughed so hard he wheezed, tears streaming from his eyes. "You're both nuts – we all know that much, but some of those are ridiculous."

"Lucifer, Cain, Ranger, Chaos, _Raven, _and Duke definitely aren't happening. First of all – _Duke_? Seriously? Am I giving birth to a fucking Great Dane? No. Absolutely the fuck not. Second of all – Cain? Naming my child after Cain from the Bible seems a bit foreboding as if I'm giving birth to a predetermined murderer. Not happening. Chaos? Lucifer? Ranger? Jesus fucking Christ." Jester shook her head, covering her eyes with her hand. "I'm getting a fucking migraine – those names are causing me physical pain."

Tommy chuckled. "Cuz, I gotta say – Klaus? What the hell? Naming the kid Santino – after Sonny in The Godfather, knowing you – is just as bad as naming him Cain. Ray and Ralph are cool – naming the kid after Pop would be pretty nice, but Pop was quiet and sweet, you know? Sergio and Conrad are badass but it makes me think the kid will come out like Spot fucking Conlon from the Newsies."

"BROOKLYN!" Jester shouted, pumping her fists in the air. "Fucking loved him, he was my first crush when I was a kid."

"It shows," Tommy laughed at her, shaking his head. "Is the kid gonna come out with one of those caps Pop used to wear and a fucking slingshot?"

"Hey, you never know," Jester said cryptically, grinning at Tommy. "What about the other names?"

Tommy thought for a minute. "Maverick is kinda cool, but it's kinda like Ranger – like the kid is gonna be an old wild west bank robber. Damon's alright. I'm not a huge fan of Rogue but it could grow on me. I really like Jack."

"J's argument against Jack is that it's too common and that three J names in one family is a bit much," Jester shrugged, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"What about Ace?" Tommy quirked a brow at his little cousin and smiled. "It's a card suit, it's an uncommon name, and it sounds pretty fucking cool."

"Ace..." Jester's eyes lit up and she grinned. "I like it."

* * *

"Rose, how kind of you to join us," Joker grinned cruelly at Rose as she squirmed in the rickety old chair she was currently zip-tied to, spreading his arms wide.

"There's no one in here!" Rose shrieked, her face bright red with rage.

"Observant, aren't ya?" Joker rolled his head around, cracking his neck. "Hey, did ya ever hear the one about the mother that ate crow?"

"I'm not in the mood for jokes," Rose spat, glaring at Joker.

"Oh, that's too bad," Joker mock-pouted, seating himself across from her. He leaned back in his chair, draping one arm over the back of it. "Stop me if you've heard this one, Rose. A woman stupidly drives to the docks at night, stopping in front of an abandoned warehouse tucked way in the back on the waterfront. She parks her car out of sight, gets out, and belligerently storms into the warehouse with some _'why I oughta's'_ in mind to assault her daughter with."

"Where's my daughter?" Rose interrupted, her false bravado amusing Joker greatly.

"The joke isn't over, Rose. It's rude to interrupt." Joker's grin faded and his expression turned serious. He stood from his chair and slowly circled Rose, pleased when her facade broke and she shuddered, whimpering a little as he loomed over her from behind. He gripped her shoulders in his hands, lowering his voice as he spoke. "One more outburst from you and I'll hurt ya. Nod if you understand."

Rose nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face already. Joker swiftly moved back to his seat, settling himself down comfortably and laughing at her tears. "Crying already? We've only just begun, Rose! Now, as I was saying before you so _rudely _interrupted me..." he lit himself a cigarette, knowing Rose hated the smell of them and hated it when anyone smoked near her.

"Where was I? Oh, right! So the woman storms into the warehouse to verbally assault her daughter under the guise of talking things out and coming to some kind of amicable solution to their absolute hatred towards each other, and BAM! She trips and falls, thanks to some tripwire, and realizes she's been duped! The shoes in front of her face don't match those of her daughter's. In fact, they're gold alligator skin oxfords – the kind of shoes that only the Clown Prince of Crime would wear. The next thing she knows, she's zip-tied to a rickety old chair, listening to the madman ramble on and on..."

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, blowing the thick, vulgar cloud of smoke right into her face. "Pay attention, Rose. The best part is coming up," he continued. "The woman's daughter is at home, resting comfortably in luxury, completely aware and unbothered that she helped to set her mother up." He giggled at that, adding insult to injury by covering his mouth with the grin tattooed on his hand, mocking Rose's fear and anger. Once he calmed himself, he got to the punchline. "You see, the woman doesn't realize that being duped by her convicted murderer of a daughter saved her life! The woman's daughter planned to kill her, sick and tired of her mother's evil and toxic ways, so her evil mass-murdering boyfriend went to see her mother instead. The funny part is that the boyfriend promised not to kill the woman, but he didn't promise he wouldn't mutilate her!"

Joker dissolved into a fit of cruel laughter, laughing harder as Rose cried hysterically. She was _terrified. _He met her red-rimmed, swollen, tear-filled eyes with his own and pulled his gold butterfly knife from the inside pocket of his jacket, playing with it to further intimidate and terrify her. "Not everyone laughs at my jokes – not everyone finds the humor in them," he said calmly. "That's okay," Joker chirped. "The people that don't get the punchline usually _become _the punchline!"

"You're sick!" Rose shouted, her hysteria escalating.

Joker cackled again, coming to stand in front of her and leaning down so his face was right in hers. "Just like Jester, right? Isn't that what you're always telling her? That she's _'sick'_? Let me fill you in on a little fact, Rose... she's not sick. She's different. She's extremely intelligent, self-aware, resilient, strong-willed, and formidable. She is everything you wish you could be." He crouched down, flipping his butterfly knife in his hand as he looked right into her eyes, using his tattooed hand to grip her face and forcing her to meet his eyes, covering her mouth with his grin tattoo.

"You... you're _weak, _you're _stupid, _and you are a _cancer _in Jester's life. You, Rose, are the very evil that you have tried to paint Jester as her entire life. You project all your shit onto her, using her as a scapegoat at every turn. Have you ever read the Scarlet Letter? Of course you haven't, that's a silly question. You're uncultured swine. Jester reminds me of Hester, the main character – parading around with this scarlet letter on her, only Jester's would be 'S' for 'sick'. You shame her, humiliate her and use her mental illness against her, parading her around like some fucking circus freak so that you look like the hero, the saint, the _victim _in your warped little fantasy world, but I've got news for ya, lady... Jester wears her 'sickness' with _pride_."

"You don't know what you're talking about – you don't know what she was like. I had reasons for everything I did – especially for sending her away." Rose was defiant, which Joker had expected – she was the type that was 'always right'. He laughed, pointing his butterfly knife menacingly at her.

"Which time? The time you sent her to Four Winds? Or the time you marched your uppity ass to Jim Gordon's office and got her thrown in Arkham?" He grinned when she paled, shock registering on her face.

"Oh yes, Rose. I know what you did. I always wondered how Jester ended up at Arkham – how she was convicted of murder. She killed Damian in self-defense, so it didn't make sense that she'd be convicted and sent to Arkham to rot for the rest of her life." He placed the blade under her chin, the tip pricking her skin. A small bead of blood seeped from the wound and Joker grinned as it stained his blade. "So, Rose, I looked into it."

"I told Commissioner Gordon the truth," Rose snapped, the movement of her mouth earning her another poke with the tip of the Joker's blade.

"I knew you'd say that," Joker drawled, sighing in exasperation. "Let's be honest, Rose. You marched into Gordon's office and told him a whole bunch of _bullshit_. You told him that Jester is unstable and can't be trusted. You told him she has refused treatment and medication her entire life. You told him that she tried to kill you several times. You told him about her multiple suicide attempts. You told him about her hair-trigger temper and her defiant nature. You told him she was off the rails, that if the DA didn't paint her as a psychopath and a danger to society that she'd kill again and again. You said everything you possibly could to throw her under the bus – to have her locked away forever. I know why you did it, Rose. You wanted to be rid of her because she's the stain on your otherwise perfect little facade. She's the thorn in your side – the daughter that doesn't idolize you, the one who calls you on your bullshit and your lies, the one who doesn't bend to your will and isn't afraid to tell you no and to fuck off. You did it so you wouldn't have to be humiliated by her anymore. You did it because you wanted to rid yourself of your burden – the burden you paid $50,000 to adopt." He burst out laughing at that, removing his blade from under her chin.

"$50,000 you didn't have! You spent $50,000 on a privatized adoption because you didn't want just any riff-raff from the orphanage or the foster system – you wanted to pick a kid that you thought would fit into your little fantasy life perfectly. You borrowed money, took out loans, and stressed yourself out to adopt a $50,000 kid that was born with free will and a high IQ – a kid that wouldn't fall for your bullshit and wouldn't kiss your ass like Rae does. Don't you get it, Rose? _The joke is on you! _You paid money you didn't have for a child that grew up to be your _nemesis_!"

"Of course _you_ would think she's great," Rose retorted, glaring at the Joker as he laughed. "I don't know who's crazier – you, or her. You probably think she's all sunshine and rainbows, God only knows what the two of you get up to together. You'll see, eventually – she'll become a burden on you, too. She'll ruin your life like she ruined mine. She'll make you miserable like she made me."

Joker's head snapped in her direction and his eyes were nearly black, causing Rose to recoil and gasp. She realized too late that she had gone too far – had _really _pissed him off."

"You know, Rose, I'd ruin your fucking life and make you miserable too if you forced pills down my throat that made me sick and almost killed me. All Jester's life you tried to subdue her, and when that didn't work you tried to force her to change with more meds, more quack doctors, more lies and more manipulation. When she refused to change and began to see you for the fucking monster you truly are and began to fight back, you cast her out – you threw her under the bus, saying all those things to Gordon to have her thrown away like yesterday's trash. But... you never once told Gordon all the nasty things _you_ did and said to cause her to become what she is. She is a product of your abuse – you poisoned her all her life, hoping she'd eventually be locked away forever or off herself – yet she's still here, still fighting, and she's _so much better _without you in her life."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Rose said again.

"One more lie and I will cut your tongue right out of your fucking head," Joker threatened, his voice low and gravelly. "I'll remind you that I only promised not to kill you – I did not promise that I wouldn't mangle, maim, torture, or abuse you." He waved his gold butterfly knife around menacingly, watching as her eyes bulged and followed its path, terrified he'd stab her. "One more lie or nasty thing about Jester, and I really will cut it out. If that doesn't work, I'll cut off your fingers like we did to Mike." His eyes lit up at that and he sat back down in his chair with his blade pointed at Rose. "How _is _Mike, by the way? I can't imagine life has been too easy lately with only one good hand and a fucked-up face."

Joker laughed again, hoping she'd be stupid enough to make a nasty remark or a retort. She stayed quiet, simply glaring at him instead.

"So you _can _teach an old dog new tricks," he mused, grinning at the rage that was simmering in her blue eyes. "Good bitch," he mocked her, patting her on the head. "I guess I should be honest now. I showed up here to make sure you would never, ever try to reach out to Jester again. She doesn't want you in her life – she is done with you. I don't want you anywhere near her. If you ever see her in public and try to approach her, I will personally come to your home and slaughter your precious, favorite daughter and force you to watch. I will destroy your life and everything you love, piece by piece, and make you watch as I do it. Do you understand?"

"She's _my _daughter!" Rose countered, leaning forward as much as she could in her seat. "I'll do as I please!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Joker chastised, waving the blade around again. "Correction – she is your adopted daughter, not your biological one, so technically your point is invalid. I don't like to repeat myself, Rose. Heed my warning, or I will be coming for you."

"What did you do to my nephew?" Rose asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "I talked to him on the phone when we set this up – I was supposed to meet him and Jester here. Where is Tommy?"

"Oh, Tommy's fine," Joker chirped, grinning at her. "You know, people will say and do anything when they've got a loaded gun pointed at their head."

"You forced him to set me up?" She was horrified, all color draining from her face. "What did you do to him?"

"Oh, Rose, don't you worry. He really is fine. He's probably at home. You know, I like Tommy. He's got morals. He's loyal. He's honest. It took me pointing a loaded gun to his head for him to lie to you and betray you. See, unlike _you_, Tommy had to be _forced_ to hurt a loved one."

"You stay the fuck away from my family," Rose threatened, struggling against the zip ties that were cutting into her wrists.

"_I_ make the threats here, Rose," Joker snapped, shoving the blade into her thigh without warning. Rose screamed and howled in pain, fresh tears trickling down her face. "And I make good on my threats. Now, I'm going to turn you loose in a moment. You will not say a single fucking word about what went on here tonight. You will go home and tell your cunt daughter Rae that you were at a movie with your alcoholic dipshit sister. You'll go to bed like usual, and you'll put on a happy face tomorrow morning when you make Rae her morning coffee. If I hear that you said anything – anything at all – about this little meeting we had, I will slit Rae's throat and make you bathe in her blood. Since I'm sick of hearing your voice, nod if you understand."

Rose whimpered and choked on a sob, forcing herself to nod. She avoided the Joker's gaze, too terrified to look into those piercing black eyes again.

"Oh, and Rose? I will be watching you... I have eyes and ears everywhere, even inside your house. I will know if you say anything. If you try to call or see Jim Gordon, I'll know. If you have the balls to try and signal the Batman, I'll know. If you do anything or talk to anyone, you will feel my wrath. Do you understand, Rose? I will know what you are doing every single minute of every single hour of every single day."

She nodded again, weeping in the chair and still avoiding his gaze.

"I'm gonna cut you loose now and bring you to your car. If you even _try _to scream, I will shove my blade into your god damn lung and silence you forever." He grinned at her and made his way behind her chair, slashing at the zip ties and freeing her from them. He grabbed her roughly by her arm and dragged her towards the door, thrusting her out into the pitch-black dirt road and dragging her to her car. He waited as she unlocked it and then slid into the driver's seat. As she was about to close the door, he caught it with his hand and forced it back open. "One last thing," he whispered, leaning down and looking her right in the eye. "If Jester or I ever come to the house to see little Josh, you and Rae will not say a single fucking word. You will let Jester see him and spend time with him, and you will _not_ say anything bad about her to or in front of him." He tsk'ed at the defiant look she shot him and chuckled, pointing at the bleeding wound on her leg. "Clean yourself up before you get home, you look like shit. We'll see ya soon."

With that, he slammed the door closed and sighed when he missed crushing her hand by a millisecond. He watched as she ripped away in her car, speeding off down the dirt road and as far away from him as she could get. Little did she know, he had his goons install a GPS tracking device in her car along with a carefully placed, tiny Joker Venom bomb that would detonate with the press of a button on his phone with an app one of his henchmen had created to monitor the GPS tracker and the bomb itself. While Joker had Rose in the warehouse, he knew Rae, Josh, and Mike would be out of the house as well – so he had his tech-savvy henchmen break in and install cameras all over the house. He'd be able to access the feeds from those on his phone, his computer at his home office, and his computer at his club office.

He shut down the lights in the warehouse – the same one Jester had lived in while hiding from him – and locked it up before making his way to his purple Lamborghini. He got in and drove off, heading to Giggles when he just wanted to go home and be with Jester.

He missed her when she wasn't around, and even though she assured him a million times she wanted him to continue being himself and conducting business as usual, he still worried that she'd eventually get angry and decide to leave him. She always assured him that she wasn't angry on nights that he would come home extremely late from the club, smelling like the perfumes of his business clients 'entertainment' and his employees, drunk and exhausted. He hoped she was being honest with him – he knew that this pregnancy was rough on her and it was at night that she was in the most pain and uncomfortable, but he had been gone for too long and had a ton of meetings to host and business deals to make or break. If he kept slacking off at home, he'd be challenged for his position as the biggest crime boss in Gotham and he'd be seen as weak, making him a target for rookies trying to make their way up the ranks. He couldn't risk Jester's safety, so he was glad she didn't want him to try and get out of his lifestyle – doing so could get them both killed, along with their unborn son.

* * *

He pulled up to Giggles and groaned, running his hands down his face in annoyance. He knew Johnny, Deadshot, and Harley would be joining him here tonight. Harley wanted to dance, Deadshot liked watching Harley from the VIP section, and Johnny – well, Johnny had always been his right-hand man and personal bodyguard. "One meeting and I go home," Joker assured himself, slowly getting out of his car and smirking as people quickly moved out of his way. He walked into the club, making a beeline for the second floor VIP section. He sat down, drinking a Manhattan, and watched all the patrons very carefully. Deadshot was already in the booth, watching Harley dance in the center cage behind the bar, and Johnny was posted outside of the booth as always.

"How'd it go?" Deadshot asked, not taking his eyes off of Harley.

"She shouldn't be bothering Jester ever again," Joker drawled.

"Good."

Joker nodded, pulling out his phone and sending a text to Jester, wondering how she was doing.

_'Miss you. Love you. Everything ok at home?' _

He grinned when her reply came almost instantly, happy that she was as eager to talk to him as he was to talk to her.

_'Miss and love you too, handsome. Everything's good. Tommy came up with a good name - Ace.' _

Joker chuckled, mulling the name over for a moment before he replied.

_'Told ya he's a good kid - I like it. How's the baby? Still hurtin ya?'_

Johnny was in front of Joker, about to inform him that his business associate was upstairs, ready and waiting to begin their meeting when Joker put up a finger, signaling for him to wait. Johnny did, folding his hands neatly behind his back and smiling when he realized Joker was texting Jester.

_'Real bad. He's definitely your son. Only 5 or 6 more weeks 'til I'm evicting his ass. I am never, ever having sex with you again - not until I've had my tubes tied, at least. I'm never doing this again.'_

Joker laughed out loud, shaking his head.

_'You say that now, baby. I'm thinking we should have another one, maybe aim for a daughter.' _

_'Eat dirt and die, trash.' _Joker laughed at the response, knowing Jester was just being her usual sassy self, which made him miss her so much more.

_'I'd rather eat you ;) xo' _he added a tongue emoji, a water emoji, a clown emoji and a smiling devil emoji to the text and sent it, finally getting up and making his way out of the VIP section and towards the stairs to the third floor for his meeting. He was determined to keep it short and sweet so he could get home to his gorgeous other half. Seeing her mother made him think about what an excellent mother Jester will be to their child, making him appreciate her a hell of a lot more. He was lucky to end up with some a wonderful woman - after all, he could've gotten stuck with a rotten bitch like Rose.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **Loving all the reviews, favorites, and follows! I appreciate it all more than you guys can imagine! Keep 'em coming. :)

* * *

After Joker's meeting was over, he sat in his third-floor office and watched the cameras while he enjoyed another Manhattan, a little too wound up to go home just yet. Johnny was posted at the door, as usual, watching the screens along the wall like a hawk.

"Johnny boy, have a seat," Joker beckoned him over to the large table, seating himself at the head of it.

Johnny nodded curtly and made his way over to the table, sitting down at Joker's right. "Looks like business is booming," he mused, paying close attention to the screen that showed the bar on the second floor.

Joker nodded, taking another sip of his drink. "Indeed," he agreed, following Johnny's gaze. He tilted his head to the side, squinting his eyes as he caught sight of a man who looked a lot like Doctor Brian Mills.

"Isn't that...?" Johnny's voice trailed off as the man on the screen turned to the side and confirmed their suspicions.

"The good doctor," Joker snarled, pounding down the rest of his drink before getting up from his seat. "Let's go say hello."

Johnny was already up and making his way to the office door, opening it and letting Joker through first as he always did. He flanked Joker's right side as they made their way down to the second floor. The two henchmen at the entrance to the second floor stepped aside immediately, casting their eyes to the floor as Joker walked past them and made a beeline for the bar.

"What do we have here?" Joker's appearance and voice stopped everything in the club. The music stopped, the dancers stopped moving, and all the patrons in the club seemed to stop breathing. It was silent as the grave now, nobody daring to move an inch with the Clown Prince of Crime in their midst. "_Doctor _Mills! What brings you to my fine establishment?"

Doctor Mills turned to face the Joker, seeming unfazed by the man's presence. He looked a little different than Joker remembered. His eyes seemed lifeless – he had large dark circles and bags under them, making them look sunken in. His skin had paled significantly, his hair was disheveled, his button-up and slacks were wrinkled and looked a little loose on him. He looked beaten down and defeated, and it piqued Joker's interest.

"Does a man need a reason to be in a place like this?" Doctor Mills countered, turning his attention back to the empty glass in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and dropped his head in his hands, sighing. "_Why _is my glass _always _empty?" His voice was low, but Joker still heard it.

Joker laughed, clapping the man on the back. He was pleased to see that all the other patrons had gotten out of his way, keeping a safe distance from him. He sat on the barstool next to Doctor Mills and Johnny sat on the other side of the Doctor, snapping his fingers to get the music and the activity in the club to start back up. Joker looked at the young bartender and crooked his finger at her, beckoning her over. She nearly fell as she clamored over as quickly as possible, knowing very well she'd be eating lead if she aggravated the Joker. "Sweetheart, get me a Manhattan and another one of whatever my pal here has been drinking." The girl smiled and nodded, moving to hurry away but Joker raised a hand to stop her. "One more thing," he added, "his tab is on the house."

"I don't need your pity drinks," Doctor Mills slurred, glaring at Joker. "I can pay for my own shit."

"Oh-ho-ho! You're sassy tonight, aren't ya?" Joker grinned at Doctor Mills and threw three crisp one hundred dollar bills down on the counter as the bartender set their drinks in front of them. "Keep the change, kid," he chirped, shooting a wink at the nervous girl. She politely thanked him and scurried off to tend to the other patrons crowding the bar.

"If you're gonna kill me, just do it already," Doctor Mills spat, taking a big swig of his Disaronno on the rocks.

"Oh, I'm not gonna kill ya," Joker chuckled, taking a sip of his Manhattan, delighted at how well-made it was. "I just wanna have a chat."

"That's disappointing," Doctor Mills muttered, leaning back in his seat and letting his head loll back.

Joker and Johnny shared amused looks, realizing the man was trashed and depressed.

"Well, Jester would be quite cross with me if I killed you," Joker said, grabbing the back of Doctor Mills' neck and forcing his head forward. He waited patiently until Doctor Mills looked at him before continuing. "After all, she's the one who saved your life."

"She fried my fucking brain!" Doctor Mills snapped, slamming his hand down on the bar top.

Joker raised an eyebrow at him, raising one finger in a silent warning not to do that again. "Careful," he growled.

"Look, Joker... I don't remember much from the breakout, but I remember seizing on that cold metal table as she electrocuted me and the amused look on _your _face the whole time." He ignored the smirk that crept onto Joker's face and continued his rant. "I have no job, I have no income, I have no concept of time, more than half my memories are gone, I'm scatterbrained and I'm severely depressed – not to mention a complete insomniac! If you aren't gonna kill me, at least let me drink in peace."

Joker took a big swig of his drink and examined Doctor Mills closely, noticing the way his right hand shook as he brought his glass back up to his lips. "So your solution is turning into a miserable, self-loathing, pathetic drunk?"

"Are you even aware of the damage you've caused? People think I _helped _you and Jester escape. I can't get a job anywhere – I won't even be able to work at Arkham once its rebuilt. Nice job burning the fucking place down, by the way," Doctor Mills stood to leave but Johnny blocked him, pushing him back down into his seat. Doctor Mills tried again to stand up and Johnny pushed him back down again, pulling his gun from his holster and discreetly aiming it at Doctor Mills' kneecap.

"You leave when Mister J says you can," Johnny snapped.

"You're looking at this all wrong," Joker said. "Arkham wasn't a good place for you, Doc. Arkham has a way of... _eroding _the mind. Even the brightest doctors in that place went batshit after a while," he cackled, clapping his hands in glee. "Look at Doctor Crane and Doctor Quinzel – both products of Arkham Asylum, but doing _so much better _these days! This is a blessing in disguise for you, Doc. You see, this is your chance to be free – to embrace who you _truly _are deep down inside." Joker poked at Doctor Mills' chest, right where his heart was. "No more playing pretend!"

"You are insane," Doctor Mills accused, shooting Joker a scathing look. "I'm nothing like you or your little crew of misfits."

"Aren't you?" Joker countered, leaning forward and enjoying the way Doctor Mills seemed to shrink back from him, clearly uncomfortable with Joker's closeness. "If you're nothing like us, then why try so hard to gain Jester's trust? You wanted to know why she changed – which traumatic event catapulted her into complete and utter insanity, turning her into a psychotic cold-blooded murderer. You wanted to know if she still had a heart under all that smooth, flawless pale skin. You wanted to know because you envied her – envied all of us."

"You're psychoanalyzing _me_?" Doctor Mills scoffed, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."

"And yet you don't deny it," Joker mused, grinning at him. "Admit it – you want to know what it's like. You want to know how it feels to be in complete control, to hold someone's life in your hands, to get everything you ever wanted and never have to apologize or feel guilty for it. You don't want to go to work and repeat the same boring, mundane routine day after day until you die. You're tired of student loan debt, credit card debt, your family turmoil, the pressure from your parents – the pressure you put on _yourself." _

"That's not true!" Doctor Mills crossed his arms defensively over his chest, avoiding Joker's eyes.

"Come on, Doc. Admit it," Joker prodded. "If it wasn't true, you wouldn't be so defensive right now. You wouldn't be punch-drunk in _my _club, of all places, throwing money you don't have at gorgeous women that you can't even take home with you."

"I don't want to take them home," Doctor Mills argued. "Nothing wrong with looking."

"But they don't look like Jester," Joker growled, chipping away at the Doctor's resolve. "That's the _real_ problem, isn't it? A good looking guy like you can clean himself up, go to a ritzy bar on the nicer side of Gotham, and get at least a dozen different numbers in a night. You could have your pick of the litter – and I bet you did just that. You probably went to all the snazzy, upscale bars and clubs in Gotham and got all the numbers you could, fucked all the beautiful women you could, but none of them scratched the itch you've had since the day you laid your eyes on _my_ Jester."

Doctor Mills chugged the rest of his drink and slammed the glass down on the bar, drawing attention from several patrons and the dancers behind the bar.

"Easy," Joker warned, patting Doctor Mills on the shoulder.

"So what? So fucking _what_, huh?" Doctor Mills raked his hands through his hair, tugging at it in his frustration. "I'm not the first doctor in that hell hole to fall in love with a patient."

Joker laughed. "That's right," he chirped, rubbing his hands together. "Doctor Quinzel fell for me during our very first session. I always considered that a personal best – looks like my other half is just as skilled as I am."

"Why did she shock me?" Doctor Mills asked quietly, looking down at the bar top.

Joker groaned, rolling his head around and cracking his neck. "She was helping you, Doc. You were exposed to Scarecrow's fear toxin – you were screaming your lungs out on the floor in the main corridor when she found you. She brought you to the ECT room to try and shock you out of your nightmare."

"How did I get home?" Doctor Mills finally brought his eyes up to meet Joker's pale blue ones, looking like a sad, lost puppy.

"I brought you," Johnny supplied, giving the Doctor a half shrug. "Jester wanted you brought home so you wouldn't be killed."

Doctor Mills turned his attention back to Joker and raised an eyebrow at him as if he didn't believe Johnny. Joker simply nodded, confirming what Johnny said.

"Any more questions? I'd like to get home to my girl." Joker ran a hand through his slicked-back green hair, beginning to grow impatient.

"I wanna see her," Doctor Mills slurred, pointing an accusing finger at Joker. "And you better not say no!"

Joker and Johnny both burst out laughing at that, drawing the attention of everyone in the club. Joker slapped his knee, barely able to regain his composure.

"Oh, Doc, you're funny," he mused, standing up from his seat and smoothing out his gold blazer. He finished his drink and gripped Doctor Mills' shoulder tight in his pale, tattooed hand, giving the man a no-nonsense look. "That's not gonna happen." Joker signaled to Johnny and turned away to leave, snarling when Doctor Mills' voice rang out over the crowd, pleading and desperate.

"Please, Joker."

Joker rolled his eyes and ran his tongue over his teeth in his annoyance, slowly turning to face Doctor Mills. "No." He said it sternly, leaving no room for argument.

The way Doctor Mills' face fell was tragic, and if Joker were a more compassionate man he might've felt bad for the guy, but he was tired and Jester wasn't there to force him to be kind to the man.

"Johnny, take him home. He's a god damn mess."

Johnny chuckled, tossing the drunken Doctor over his shoulder with ease as if he was handling a small child, and followed Joker out of the club's back door.

"I don't live there anymore," Doctor Mills slurred against Johnny's back, his arms dangling lifelessly as Johnny carried him.

Joker chuckled, unlocking the purple Lamborghini and opening the driver's side door. "Johnny will take ya wherever you gotta go," Joker said dismissively, wanting to just get in his car and go home.

"I don't live anywhere," Doctor Mills drunkenly singsonged, laughing at his misfortune.

Johnny looked like a deer caught in headlights as he met Joker's eyes, not sure what to do.

Joker groaned, running his hands down his face. "Take him to the Funhouse," he ordered, watching as Johnny dumped the Doctor into the passenger seat of his black Ford Explorer.

"Hey, Joker," Doctor Mills called, slumped over in his seat and staring suspiciously at Joker.

"The things I do for that woman," Joker muttered, taking a second to calm himself before indulging the Doctor one last time. "_What?_"

"Do you always dress like a guido douchebag?" Doctor Mills giggled childishly, all the alcohol he consumed finally hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You look like one of those creepy old guys in Miami that pays young girls to keep them company," he giggled again and hiccuped, "you know what I'm talking about, right? Those sugar daddies with the hairy chests and the bald heads and the gaudy jewelry."

"Johnny, take him to the Funhouse before I rip his lungs out," Joker snarled, reining in his temper before he did exactly what he just threatened. Without another word, he got in his car and took off, racing home as fast as he could to Jester.

* * *

By the time Joker got home, it was 1 AM and he knew Jester would be in bed, trying to sleep. He quietly crept into the house and up the stairs to the master bedroom, grinning when he saw her sprawled out on the bed with the dogs curled up against her, guarding her as always. Karma and Hades perked their heads up as he crept into the room, snarling quietly at him until they caught his scent and realized who he was. "Good puppies," he whispered, patting them on their heads. He quickly stripped down to his boxers, pulling on his black and green robe and black slippers, leaving his robe open as he headed for the bedroom door. Without a word, he motioned with his hand for the dogs to come with him and they did, careful not to disrupt Jester as she slept.

He figured they'd have to go out and he wanted to have a smoke and calm himself down. Jester was like a bloodhound – she'd sniff out his bad mood and any lie he told to cover it up, so he wanted to clear his mind before he slipped into bed with her. He carefully made his way through the dark mansion and to the slider doors in the kitchen, letting himself and the dogs outside. They took off as fast as lightning, disappearing into the dark. He sat down on one of the comfy cushioned chairs, stretching his legs out and lighting up a cigarette. He recounted the events of the night from his meeting with Jester's mom to Doctor Mills comparing him to a dirty old pervert from Miami, scowling.

He was so entrenched in his thoughts he didn't hear the door open and close again, startling a little when Tommy plopped down into the chair next to his. "Jesus _fuck_," Joker hissed, glaring at Tommy. "I'm putting a bell on ya."

Tommy chuckled, lighting up a cigarette of his own, much to Joker's shock. Joker quirked a brow at him in question and Tommy shrugged. "Nobody knows but Jester. I don't smoke all the time – just here and there when I'm stressed out."

Joker nodded, taking a deep drag of his cigarette and listening for the dogs in the yard. He heard their growls and yips and grinned, knowing they were playing in the grass, probably thrilled to be outside and stretching their legs.

"I didn't hurt her... well, not _too _bad," Joker supplied, letting his head fall back against the cushion.

Tommy nodded. "I figured Aunt Rose wouldn't get out of it completely unscathed."

"She's mouthy," Joker growled, recalling the way she spoke to him as if he was some common street hood.

"Yeah," Tommy confirmed. "If it's alright with you, I'd rather not know."

Joker hummed in response, absently tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair. "Jester told me about the name you suggested. Ace... I like that."

"I thought you would," Tommy smiled, staring up at the stars. "It's better than Lucifer, after all."

They both laughed at that. "That's not as bad as _Klaus._" Joker ran a hand through his hair, sighing. His mood was improving a little, just not fast enough for his liking. He took the last drag of his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray on the table, immediately lighting up another one.

"You're more tense than usual," Tommy observed, watching Joker carefully. "Wanna talk about it?"

"This stays between us, kid – at least until I can figure out how to approach this subject with Jester. I'd keep it from her until the day I die, but you know as well as I do that she can sniff out a lie or a secret like a fucking K-9."

Tommy laughed, nodding his agreement. "Shoot," he urged, leaning back in his seat and lighting up another cigarette himself.

"What do you drink, kid? I'm gonna need another one for this."

Tommy swiveled his head around, following the path Joker took to the slider door. "I'll have whatever you're having – thanks, man."

Joker simply nodded, ducking inside. He fixed them both tumblers of bourbon on ice and made his way back out onto the deck, handing Tommy his drink before sitting down and sipping at his.

"I was watching the cameras in the club office and spotted a familiar face on the second floor," Joker started, staring out into the backyard as he spoke. "Doctor Brian Mills was at the bar, drunk as a skunk and wallowing in his misery."

"No shit," Tommy gave a low whistle, recalling the screaming Doctor from the night of the breakout – the one Jester insisted on saving and argued with Joker about.

"We had a little chat. He ranted – drunk and pissed off – and I gathered that he's jobless, broke, homeless, absolutely miserable, blames me for it and oh, he's in love with Jester and wants to see her." Joker fought the urge to chug down his entire glass of bourbon and took a big swig instead, swishing the liquid around in his mouth before gulping it down. He looked over at Tommy who was speechless, not sure how to react to the information or what to say. "This motherfucker told me I look like one of those old wrinkly perverts in Miami – the sugar daddies."

Tommy snorted, choking on the laugh that he tried to swallow back. Joker sighed, motioning with his hand for Tommy to go ahead and laugh. Tommy burst out in a fit of laughter, doubled over and wheezing in his chair. "Oh, shit," he gasped, trying to regain his composure. "I can't believe he said that – did you kill him?"

"No," Joker grit out, clenching his jaw in his anger. "Jester would cut my fucking head off."

"What's her deal with that guy?" Tommy asked, furrowing his eyebrows in his confusion.

"Apparently he's one of the good ones, according to her. One of the ones that _'really cares.'"_

"Makes sense," Tommy said, mulling it over. "She always wants to save the good ones."

"I should've shot him when I had the chance," Joker muttered, rolling his eyes. "Guy's got a fucking mouth on him, likes to run it too."

"I can't believe he compared you to a dirty old sugar daddy and lived," Tommy muttered, shaking his head.

"Asked me if I always dress like a _'guido douchebag,'_" Joker put his fingers up, making air quotes as he mimicked Doctor Mills.

"Yeah, he has given up. Was probably praying you'd put him out of his misery."

"He said something to that effect – twice if I remember correctly. I had Johnny take him to the Funhouse. I didn't know what else to do with him, and I knew if I left him there to get robbed and beat up or dumped him on the street, Jester would probably gouge my eyes out."

"How would she even find out?" Tommy turned to look at the Joker, gulping his drink. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her, as terrible as that is."

"She finds out everything – just like every other woman on this godforsaken planet. If I don't tell her any of this and she finds out, she'll be fucking livid that I hid it from her. If I do tell her, she'll want to go talk to him, and I'll kill him before I ever allow that to happen." Joker finished off his drink and set the empty glass down on the table, raking his hands through his hair and letting it fall out of place.

"If some dude was in love with Selina and wanted to see her, I'd probably kill him too," Tommy mused. "I sure as shit wouldn't let her go talk to the guy."

"Ha," Joker chuckled, looking over at Tommy and grinning. "Batsy's got lots of gadgets, kid. You'd have a hard time trying to put _him _down."

"He doesn't love her – he tossed her to the side for Talia, remember? I think Selina was just convenient for him – she played both sides of the fence, she's a powerful ally and a formidable enemy, and she's gorgeous. I think the dickhead just wanted to keep her on the back burner, counting on her to stay put while he did his own thing and thinking she'd always be there when he felt like picking her up again."

Joker nodded, lacing his hands behind his head. "Sounds about right," he drawled.

"Look, I think you should tell Jester. Not right away – maybe wait a couple days until you feel a little less _homicidal. _I noticed the way you guys argued about this dude in Arkham – it's a touchy subject." Tommy stood up, stretching and yawning. He ruffled his hair and looked at Joker, giving him a lopsided grin. "As far as her going to see and talk to him, you shouldn't be concerned or mad about it. She loves you, man. She's having a baby with you. She's not going anywhere. That guy never stood a chance – he still doesn't."

"You've got brains, kid," Joker mused, winking at Tommy. He stood up and whistled for the dogs, grinning at them as they ran like hell towards him. "Time for bed," he cooed, petting both dogs. "Get some sleep, Razor. I might need ya to smack the Doctor around a little bit tomorrow."

Tommy laughed, following Joker inside and scratching the dogs' ears. "You got it, boss."

* * *

Joker's eyes popped open when he felt the bed shift, realizing Jester was getting up. His arm shot out and he caught her by the wrist, tugging her back down into bed with him. "No," he grumbled, pulling her as close to him as he could. "Stay here."

"I gotta pee, jerk," Jester chuckled, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Joker groaned and reluctantly let her go, watching as she made her way to the bathroom. "You better bring that cute ass of yours right back here," he warned, blowing a kiss at her.

She rolled her eyes and flipped him the bird before shutting the bathroom door.

"I mean it!" He hollered, rolling onto his back and stretching. He was exhausted, he hadn't crawled into bed until around 3 AM and it was only 8 AM. He didn't have to look at the clock next to the bed to know – Jester had a weird habit of waking up at 8:00 on the dot every single morning since the second trimester of her pregnancy began. "Kid's not even born yet and he's already robbing me of sleep," Joker muttered, trying to will himself back to sleep.

Jester came back out of the bathroom and crawled into bed, snuggling into Joker's side and throwing a leg over him. He reached down and gripped her thigh in his hand, stroking her skin with his thumb. He slipped his free arm under her head, wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him. "Good morning," he mumbled, kissing her forehead.

"Good morning, grumpy gills," she teased, kissing his chest. "You got home late last night."

"Mmm," he rested his head on top of hers, kissing her forehead again. "Last night was supposed to be an early night, too."

"No rest for the wicked," Jester declared, stroking Joker's bare chest and abs with her fingertips.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked, closing his eyes and enjoying her caresses.

"Better than I have been," she admitted. "I was so tired."

"Good," he muttered, slowly falling back to sleep.

Jester smiled and pulled the duvet back up over them, shifting a little to get more comfortable before falling back to sleep with Joker, thankful that the baby seemed to be asleep as well so she'd be able to rest comfortably.

* * *

Doctor Brian Mills was startled awake by an air horn that was ruthlessly blared directly into his ear.

"What the _fuck_," he hissed, swatting at the offender and missing. He slowly opened his eyes and squinted, his head pounding and his vision swimming from the crippling hangover he had stupidly forced onto himself the night before. Once his vision cleared, he scrambled to sit up, not sure where he was or who all the frightening, dirty looking riff-raff were that surrounded him.

He rubbed furiously at his eyes and groaned, trying to piece together all the events of the night before. He remembered being hammered at Joker's new club, Giggles, and remembered bits and pieces of ranting at and insulting Joker.

He realized he was in the car of a broken down roller coaster and began to panic, knowing that this could only mean one thing – he was nowhere close to home, and certainly wasn't in Gotham anymore.

"Where am I?" he breathed, reminding Tommy of an owl with his wide eyes and the way he was swiveling his head around. Doctor Mills took in the other dilapidated roller coaster cars, the broken down track, the dark, damp tunnel he was in and the many, many psychopaths dressed like clowns lining the walls. His blood ran cold as his eyes settled on Penguin's old group of circus freaks, terrified to his very core of the clown twins that grinned maliciously at him.

"That's not important," Tommy said dismissively, yanking Doctor Mills roughly out of the roller coaster car and pulling him through the tunnel, not needing any light since he was used to the place after all these months. He knew the entire Funhouse like the back of his hand – he could navigate the grounds, rides, tunnels, and circus tents blindfolded with no issue. "You, my friend, are a very lucky man."

"What are you talking about?" Doctor Mills asked, wincing from the pain of his pounding headache.

"You insulted the Joker – several times, actually – and he didn't kill you."

Doctor Mills hissed as he was dragged out of the tunnel and onto the grounds of the amusement park, the light from the sun blinding him and making his headache even worse. "Fuck!"

"Here," Tommy pulled a bottle of ibuprofen out of his pocket and opened it, shaking out three pills. "Take these and shut the fuck up."

"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" Doctor Mills retorted, taking the pills and dry swallowing them with a little difficulty.

"Watch it," Tommy warned, thrusting Doctor Mills into the Joker's Ha-Ha-Hacienda, an old 'haunted house' attraction turned into a personal lair for the madman. He motioned with his arm for Doctor Mills to take a seat on the old, faded green velvet love seat and Doctor Mills obeyed, covering his face with his hands. He was thankful for the darkness inside the Ha-Ha-Hacienda, silently cursing the sun's existence.

"Stay put. If you move, I'll cut off one of your limbs." Tommy glared at Doctor Mills and then shifted his gaze to the two henchmen that had followed him. "Keep your hands to yourselves – Boss's orders." With that, he walked up the spiral staircase in the corner and stepped carefully onto the second floor, grinning at Deadshot. "Special delivery," he joked, motioning to the floor.

"Let's go see what this thundercat wants with our girl," Deadshot's voice was smooth and suave as usual. He made his way towards the stairs, carefully descending them with Tommy in tow. "Yo, D-Mills!" He hollered, sticking out a hand to the Doctor.

Doctor Mills went to shake the man's hand and hissed when the man jerked his hand away and backhanded him hard as hell across the face. "Care to tell me why I'm being abused?" He spat, glaring at Tommy and Deadshot.

"Joker can't kill you for your disrespect and insults, but it doesn't mean we can't slap you around a little bit," Deadshot explained, smirking at Doctor Mills. "On top of that – we just don't like you."

"I don't even know you," Doctor Mills' eyebrows were furrowed and he looked completely lost, not understanding why two men he'd never seen before clearly had a bone to pick with him.

"Maybe this will clear things up," Tommy said coolly, "Jester is my little cousin."

Doctor Mills said nothing, studying the tall man in front of him, not seeing any resemblance.

"She's adopted," Deadshot groaned in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "He ain't gonna look like her. As for me, she's like a little sister to me – she's my best friend."

"Oh, so this is like that moment when the big brothers beat up the poor bastard trying to date their sister? Great." Doctor Mills sank back into the dirty old love seat, thankful that his hangover was finally starting to recede a little.

"Something like that," Deadshot said, cocking his head to the side. "Except you ain't dating Jester. She's with Joker and that's that. Ain't nothing gonna change that."

Doctor Mills opened his mouth to speak but Tommy put his finger up, warning him to shut up. Doctor Mills was well aware of the weapons on each man – Deadshot had his wrist guns on, Tommy had a revolver tucked into a holster in his pants, and Doctor Mills was certain that those weren't the only weapons both men were strapped with. He kept his mouth shut, waiting for them to get to the point.

"What were you doing at Giggles?" Deadshot asked, flexing his hands in a subtle threat. Tommy was grinning like the Cheshire Cat beside him, thrilled to be working closely with Deadshot on a common enemy.

"Having a drink, entertaining myself," Doctor Mills said casually as if he was simply telling them the weather forecast for the day.

"At Giggles, on the outskirts of Gotham where guys like you get robbed, beaten, shot, and stabbed?" Tommy tilted his head at Doctor Mills, giving him an 'I don't believe you' look.

"I've been homeless for a month and none of that has happened yet," Doctor Mills replied, shrugging. "Why does it matter?"

"Because you were there for a reason," Deadshot urged.

"How's that hangover?" Tommy asked suddenly, feigning sincerity.

Doctor Mills shrugged. "A little better," he said.

"Huh," Tommy raised an eyebrow at Doctor Mills before descending on him, delivering a hard punch to his nose. It was hard enough to cause a nosebleed, but not hard enough to break his nose – it was a warning shot, and Doctor Mills knew it.

"Goddammit!" Doctor Mills snapped, covering his nose with his hands and glaring at both men.

"Stop fucking around and tell us why you were at Giggles, what you want with Jester, and why you've decided to come around _now _after all this time," Deadshot barked.

Doctor Mills didn't say anything, still cradling his nose and trying to stop the bleeding.

"I don't think he wants to talk," Tommy shrugged at Deadshot and turned to the Creepy Clown Twins. "Do what you want – just don't kill him."

Doctor Mills' eyes went as wide as saucers and he frantically waved his hands at both men, not daring to look at the creepy clowns approaching him. "Okay, okay, okay!" He shouted, his voice shrill and hoarse. "I'll talk!"

"That's what we like to hear," Deadshot smirked, dismissing the clowns with a flick of his wrist. They both scowled, extremely disappointed that their tiny window of opportunity to inflict harm and terror upon the good Doctor was snatched away so quickly. "Tell us everything."

* * *

Joker sat on the bench at the foot of his and Jester's bed, cradling his head in his hands as Jester had her third meltdown of the morning. She was currently sobbing in the bathroom with her dragon onesie on, upset because she couldn't zip it up – her belly was too big to fit in it. Joker had tried repeatedly to boost her confidence and cheer her up, making jokes and being affectionate, and she just wasn't having any of it.

"I'm _huge!_" she shrieked, hiccuping from all her crying. "I'm just a big, fat lard! I'm disgusting!"

"We are not doing this again," he muttered, careful not to speak loud enough for her to hear. "Never again."

"Hiya, Mistah J," Harley chirped, cautiously entering the master bedroom. "Another meltdown?"

Joker lifted his head and just stared blankly at Harley, his makeup smeared all over his face from constantly running his hands down his face in his frustration. His hair was disheveled from constantly raking his red and black smeared hands through it, and he was dressed in only his black and green robe, a pair of bright green boxers, and his black slippers.

"Do something," he growled, pointing towards the bathroom. "I can't take it anymore."

Harley laughed and skipped her way to the bathroom, rapping her knuckles against the open door. "Knock, knock, beautiful!"

"Harley," Jester whined, grabbing the other clown and pulling her into a tight hug. "My onesie doesn't fit anymore!"

"Oh, Jestah, it'll fit again! It's just not maternity size." Harley pat Jester's back, trying to comfort her as she wept on her shoulder. "There, there."

"I look like a fucking Teletubby!" Jester cried, sniffling into Harley's shoulder.

Harley laughed, pulling Jester away and holding her at arms length. "Stop that," she chided, giving Jester a scolding look. "You look beautiful, you're glowin'! Only 5 or 6 more weeks and you'll be back to your old self – and you'll have a cute baby to cuddle!"

"But what if I retain all the weight and I'm just disgusting and flabby?" Jester was sobbing again, inconsolable and completely irrational.

"Then I'll send you to one of those god damn fat camps and _they_ can listen to you bitch, moan, and cry all day!" Joker hollered from the bedroom, standing up and making his way to the closet. He wasn't expecting the hairbrush that smacked him in the back of the head, snarling when it made contact. "Oh, I'll kill ya," he growled, stalking into the bathroom and squaring off with Jester.

Harley backed up, watching the two carefully as they glared hatefully at each other.

"You did this to me! This is your fault! I'm carrying _your _child and it's ruining my body, and you have the audacity to say something like that to me?!" Jester's eyes were darkening and she advanced on Joker, closing the space between them.

"Aw, shit," Harley muttered, making a mad dash for the bedroom and flying down the grand staircase to the second floor. She skidded to a halt at Scarecrow's door, knocking frantically on it until he opened it.

He had answered the door in such a rush that he was shirtless, only clad in a pair of light blue pinstriped pajama pants. "What is it this time?" He asked, already knowing Jester was probably flipping her lid again.

"No time," Harley breathed, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him with her as she ran back up the stairs. "They're gonna kill each other!"

Scarecrow sighed and kept pace with Harley, sprinting to the master bedroom and dashing into the bathroom, stepping in between Joker and Jester just in time – both clowns had nearly black eyes and were breathing heavily, a hair away from throttling each other.

"Alright," he hollered over their verbal spar, catching their attention. "Downstairs, both of you. Let's sit down, have some coffee, and talk like civilized human beings."

"He is incorrigible!" Jester shouted, pointing accusingly at Joker over Scarecrow's shoulder.

Joker glared at her over Scarecrow's shoulder, pointing a finger back at her. "She's impossible!" He hissed, his voice laced with contempt.

"When the fuck did I become Dr. Phil?" Scarecrow sighed, spreading his arms out and stopping the clowns from reaching each other. "Let's go," he barked, using his 'authoritative voice' as Jester liked to call it.

Joker scowled at everyone before swiftly exiting the bathroom, muttering to himself as he made his way downstairs.

Once he was out of sight and earshot, Scarecrow turned to Jester. "Darling," he cooed, pulling her into a hug. "Listen to me. You can't keep acting like this – we all understand you're pregnant, you're in pain, you're tired, you're hormonal and you're uncomfortable, but you've got to try and rein yourself in. Joker's trying – he's trying hard, and you don't necessarily make it easy for him sometimes." He chose his words very carefully, not wanting to end up on the wrong side of her legendary temper.

"You didn't hear what he said to me!" Jester screamed, grabbing one of the vanity chairs and throwing it across the bathroom in her rage.

Harley sighed and nodded, fixing Scarecrow with an exasperated look. "She's right this time, he said somethin' pretty mean."

"Dare I ask?" Scarecrow raised an eyebrow at Harley, reaching behind him and gripping Jester by the hood of her onesie, gently tugging her back towards him so she'd stop trying to destroy the bathroom.

Jester defiantly wriggled out of Scarecrow's grip and stormed off towards her walk-in closet in the bedroom, carelessly stripping out of her onesie and looking through her clothes in just her underwear.

Scarecrow averted his eyes and raked a hand through his tousled hair, sighing.

"She's upset about her belly 'cause she can't fit into her onesie, ya know? Well, she was cryin' about it and J said something about sending her to fat camp so they can listen to her bitch and moan all day." Harley spoke quietly so Jester wouldn't hear her, afraid she'd spark Round 2 if Jester heard her.

"Fuck me," Scarecrow hissed, carefully pulling his glasses out of his pocket and putting them on. "Alright, she's got a point."

"Let's just get her dressed and downstairs and see if we can keep 'em from killin' each other for another 5 or 6 weeks," Harley muttered, making her way over to Jester and helping her into her purple and black robe and slippers. "Come on, dollface, let's get you somethin' to eat. I'm sure the little one is hungry."

Jester huffed but didn't say a word, stalking out of the room and downstairs towards the kitchen.

Scarecrow and Harley exchanged concerned looks before following her down, making sure she and Joker didn't even have as much as a single second alone together.

"I'm sorry," Joker grit out, avoiding Jester's eyes as she entered the kitchen flanked by Harley and Scarecrow. "I shouldn't have said that to you."

"You're still an asshole, and I still hate you," Jester hissed, her tone dripping with venom. "I regret the day I fucking met you."

"Okay, that's enough of that," Scarecrow interjected, busying himself with making coffee. Harley was sitting at the end of the kitchen island, watching Joker and Jester carefully as they glared at each other across the island.

"I apologized," Joker emphasized every syllable, leaning forward across the table.

"I don't care," Jester enunciated the words dramatically, mocking him.

"Can't you guys just kiss and make up already? I hate it when you fight," Harley whined, dropping her chin into her hands.

"I'd rather die," Jester said childishly, crossing her arms on top of her belly.

"Ridiculous," Joker growled, standing from his seat and storming out to the back deck.

"Don't you walk away from me, you green-haired, pasty, red lipstick wearing prick!" Jester hollered, storming out onto the deck after him. The dogs came running into the kitchen and followed her outside, used to all the bickering and arguing by now, and tumbled into the yard to play.

"Pasty? You're pasty too!" Joker shouted, waving his arms dramatically. "Or did ya forget, toots?!"

"I look better than you," Jester retorted, hands on her hips. "A lot better!"

Joker rolled his eyes, letting his jaw drop slightly. "So maybe you've got fewer scars than me, so what?"

"What the fuck does that have to do with it?!" Jester shouted, throwing her hands up.

Scarecrow burst out laughing, nearly spilling coffee all over himself as he poured it into 4 different cups. "They almost killed each other in the bathroom, now they're screaming at each other about who's more attractive," he mused, watching from the kitchen window.

Harley snickered, taking a cup from Scarecrow and sipping her coffee. "They sure keep things interesting," she joked.

"Would you shut up and get over here?" Joker snapped, pointing at the ground in front of him as he glared at her.

"Why should I?" Jester argued, keeping her distance from him.

"So I can kiss my gorgeous Queen and maybe feel my son kick," Joker seethed, annoyed at her for not seeing what he believed to be obvious.

"I still hate you," she muttered, slowly making her way over to him. Once she was close enough, he snatched her into his arms and dipped her, planting a firm kiss on her lips.

"Hate me all you want," he whispered, looking her in the eye, "but I'm not going anywhere... and neither are you."

"You called me fat," she muttered, frowning at him as he lifted her back up.

"Technically I didn't – ah," he pressed his finger to her lips, silencing her before she could interrupt him. "But I apologize for what I said. I didn't mean it. You're not fat, you're not disgusting, you're not huge... you're gorgeous, you're pregnant, and you're perfect. Cut yourself some slack, baby. You look amazing, just like you always have."

"Well ain't that romantic," Harley quipped, standing in the open doorway. "Come on, you two lovebirds, your coffee's getting cold and Scarecrow's about to have a fuckin' stroke."

Jester blushed and Joker grinned, sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her bridal style back into the house and into the dining room where they sat down for breakfast with Scarecrow and Harley.

"If I see one gray hair on my head," Scarecrow leveled both clowns with a glare, "I'm going to kill you both."

"You wouldn't dare," Jester teased, winking at him. "You love us too much."

Scarecrow rolled his eyes. "I love my hair, too."

Joker cackled at that, clapping his hands together. "Oh, I just _love_ Saturday brunches with the family!"

"Nice abs, Craney," Jester teased, a wicked little smirk on her face.

Scarecrow blushed a little, choosing not to entertain her teasing and shoveling some french toast into his mouth, both flattered and embarrassed by her compliment.

* * *

Later that night, Joker strolled out of the bathroom after styling his hair and applying his crimson lipstick, looking for Jester so he could say goodbye before he headed out to Giggles. He didn't see her anywhere, and the dogs were also missing. He made his way out of the bedroom and grinned when he heard her voice coming from the baby's room – he crept along the wall and stopped just before the open doorway, listening to her sing to their baby. He didn't want to disrupt her just yet – Giggles could wait. Jester had taken to singing to the baby every night when he was overseeing things and conducting business at Giggles.

"_Say your prayers little one_

_Don't forget, my son, to include everyone_

_I tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sin_

_'Til the Sandman comes_

_Sleep with one eye open_

_Gripping your pillow tight_

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Take my hand_

_We're off to never, never-land_

_Something's wrong_

_Shut the light_

_Heavy thoughts tonight_

_And they aren't of Snow White_

_Dreams of war, dreams of liars, dreams of dragons' fire_

_And of things that will bite, yeah_

_Sleep with one eye open_

_Gripping your pillow tight _

_Exit light_

_Enter night_

_Take my hand_

_We're off to never, never-land..."_

"An a capella version of Enter Sandman... that's a first," Joker grinned at Jester as he sauntered into the room, hands in his pockets.

She was in the glider chair, hands on her belly and singing to it when he decided to interrupt her. She looked up at him and smiled, keeping her hands on the sides of her growing belly. "My dad used to sing it to me all the time when I was a kid. He used to joke that he used to sing it to me at night as a lullaby to put me to sleep... I don't think he was joking, though." They shared a laugh at that, picturing her dad singing Metallica songs to her while tucking her in at night.

"He was a pretty unorthodox Dad, from what you've told me." Joker knelt in front of her, putting his right hand on her belly and smiling when he felt the baby move.

"He was, and you will be too." She put her hands over his and relaxed in the glider.

"He'll be here before we know it," Joker muttered, staring up at her. "Are you ready?"

Jester scowled. "I'm ready for him to get the fuck out of me. He's growing like a weed and the pain is excruciating. Might cut him out myself!"

Joker laughed at that, earning himself a glare from her. "You leave him alone, woman! He's a growing boy, nothing wrong with that."

"Oh, shut up," Jester retorted. "He isn't coming out of _you!_"

Joker nodded, agreeing with her. "True. Very true." He placed his free hand on top of hers and gave her the most sincere look he could muster. "I'm sorry I'm always gone at night. I know that's when you're in the most pain and the most uncomfortable. I'll try to be home more – especially once he's born."

Jester ran her fingers through his hair and smiled. "It's alright. I know you'd be here if you could. I was thinking of going to the greenhouse to spend time with Ivy tonight since you're all going to Giggles and Dr. Davis is still hiding away in her room. Ivy should be able to help with the pain, or at least distract me from it."

Joker nodded, carefully helping her up and out of the glider. "I'll take ya to the greenhouse and then I gotta go little bird." He pulled her close to him and hugged her tight before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her from the baby's room and downstairs to the main floor.

Jester had one arm wrapped tight around his shoulders, the other wrapped around his neck. She clasped her hands together, making sure her grip on him was secure and rested her head against his chest as he carried her. She was thrilled not to have to walk down all four flights – she was tired, she was sore, she was cranky, and she didn't feel too well.

Once they entered the greenhouse, plants began happily greeting Jester with brushes of their petals, leaves, and vines, and Joker rolled his eyes. "Lucky for me, I'm carrying you. Last time I came in contact with Ivy's _'babies_', they tried to kill me."

"Because you poisoned them," Ivy's voice floated through the greenhouse, but neither clown could tell where it was coming from. "Over here," she called, stepping out of a very large Venus flytrap and strolling over to them.

"How's my favorite clown?" She asked, stroking Jester's cheek. "You look exhausted."

"She is," Joker cut in, carefully setting Jester down on her feet.

Jester grinned at Poison Ivy as vines gently swept her up off the ground and nestled her into a wide hammock they'd formed to cradle her in. She turned onto her side and pulled her legs up to her belly, tucking her hands under her head. "I'm fine, Habibi," she cooed, smiling at Joker.

Joker carefully made his way over to her, growling back at the plants that hissed at him, and kissed her, taking a moment to stroke her hair and press soft kisses to her forehead and cheeks. "Call me if you need me, baby."

"I love you," Jester blew him a kiss as he began backing away from her and winked at him.

"I love you too, little J." With that, he was gone.

* * *

Jester's bottom lip quivered and she whimpered, burying her face in her hands. She heard Poison Ivy's light, airy laugh and braced herself as the vine hammock she was curled up in began moving, ascending higher up into the greenhouse and towards the back of it next to Poison Ivy's gigantic Venus flytrap.

Poison Ivy stepped back inside the giant plant and Jester watched in amazement as it shifted so that Poison Ivy was sitting comfortably inside it, able to see Jester and make contact with her if she needed to.

"Catwoman told me you've been crying a lot lately," Ivy sympathized, stroking Jester's hair and cheeks, wiping her tears away. "Hormones are the devil."

Jester sniffled and nodded, pulling a tissue from her robe pocket and wiping her nose. "I am _definitely _getting a hysterectomy after this – I refuse to do this again."

Poison Ivy laughed, nodding politely in agreement as she beckoned a large sheet of dry, soft moss over to Jester, covering her up with it like a blanket.

To Jester's surprise, it was very warm, comfortable, and smelled nice. Not many things smelled pleasant to her these days, even the smell of cold cuts made her sick. "Thank you," she whispered, snuggling into the blanket and getting more comfortable. She was nice and warm now – she was so comfortable she could fall asleep at any second.

"My pleasure," Poison Ivy replied, smiling brightly at her. "I'm happy you came out here, I always enjoy your company."

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," Jester admitted, looking up at her friend. "I missed you."

"I'm sorry," Poison Ivy was sincere. "I get so caught up in here..."

"I know," Jester reached a handout and rested it on Poison Ivy's knee, reassuring her. "We've all been busy with our shit. They all went to the club tonight – I didn't wanna be in the house all alone. I'm glad you're here."

Poison Ivy took Jester's hand in hers and squeezed it, lacing their fingers together in her lap. "I am too," she agreed. "Once the baby is born and you're feeling better, I'll take you to Giggles to dance... and the clown will have no say in the matter."

Jester chuckled, imagining how pissed off Joker would be about Jester sauntering into his new club with Poison Ivy and climbing into a cage to dance the night away. She knew that after this, he wouldn't want her leaving the house too much and certainly wouldn't want her dancing at the club where men would stare at her, hit on her, and throw money at her. The idea thrilled her – after all, who would she be if she wasn't constantly pissing Joker off?

"I like that idea," Jester mused, closing her eyes. "I'm just gonna rest my eyes Ivy, okay? I'm not sleeping, I'm just gonna close my eyes for a little while."

Poison Ivy laughed, shaking her head. "Of course," she cooed, manipulating another set of thick, strong vines to cover the hammock Jester was currently asleep in, making sure they weren't pressed directly against her so she had room to turn around and breathe, but not so much that she'd fall out. Once Jester was properly caged in, Poison Ivy made herself more comfortable in her Venus flytrap and made sure to stay where she could keep an eye on her sleeping friend. "Goodnight, my dear."

She was about to wonder where the dogs were when she heard them whining and crying at the doors to the greenhouse. She usually didn't like having the rambunctious, giant dogs near her babies but she made an exception tonight and let them in, knowing they just wanted to guard Jester and keep her warm. The dogs trotted very carefully and slowly towards the back of the greenhouse where Jester and Poison Ivy were, laying down on a cleared patch of floor directly underneath the two women. That's where they stayed all night, never taking their eyes off the doors to the greenhouse.

* * *

Joker sat in the VIP section on the second floor of the club, dressed in a white button-up that was mostly undone, a burgundy suit jacket and matching slacks. He was leaning back against the cushions, his cane resting between his spread legs, arms draped over the booth he was sitting in. Harley and Catwoman were in a cage behind the bar, dancing together in skimpy, pretty little outfits and drawing the attention of the majority of the patrons. Deadshot and Tommy sat opposite Joker, watching their girls dance as Joker watched over all the goings-on in the club. Scarecrow sat quietly on Joker's right, calmly drinking his own Manhattan. He was surprised to see Joker drinking them lately – Joker had always drank whiskey on the rocks, especially at the club.

"Johnny," Joker beckoned the man over with a crook of his finger, not tearing his eyes off of an arguing couple by the bar. "Did they come in together?" He pointed over at the couple and Johnny's eyes followed his pale, tattooed finger.

"Honestly, boss, I'm not sure," Johnny admitted.

Joker's eyes narrowed as the man in question grabbed the woman by the arm, noticing the way the woman tried to wrench her arm out of his grasp and the pained, angry look on her face. The man proceeded to roughly pull the woman towards the bar, keeping a tight grip on her as he demanded another drink from the bartender. Joker ran his tongue over his teeth and growled, gripping his cane tightly in his hand as he watched them. The man got his drink and threw money at the bartender, which Joker didn't appreciate, but the thing that really set him off was when the man turned back to the woman he still had a crushing grip on and began yelling in her face and shaking her.

"I got it, Boss," Johnny said, beginning to leave the VIP area.

Joker held his arm out and stopped him. "Bring them to the VIP, Johnny boy. I wanna have a nice little chat with Mr. Tough Guy over there."

"Oh shit, here we go," Deadshot chuckled, shaking his head as Johnny made his way out of the VIP section and across the club to the bar. Johnny forced his way between the couple, prying the man's hand off of the woman's arm, and gripped him by the back of the head, forcefully pushing him towards the VIP section and beckoning to the frightened woman to follow. She did, nervously wringing her hands at her sides when she, Johnny, and the man finally came to stand before the Joker.

"I assume you know who I am," Joker drawled, looking uninterested. He motioned for Johnny to sit the couple down on his left side between him and Deadshot in the curve of the booth. He picked up his empty drinking glass and Johnny took the hint, making his way back to the bar to get another drink for everyone at the table. Joker carefully examined the glass, slowly turning it in his pale hand as he addressed the couple in his booth. "Names?"

"I-I'm Alice," the woman stuttered, terrified of the Joker and the other criminals she was surrounded by.

"Alice, you say?" Joker turned his attention to her long enough to shoot her a smirk. "Be careful, Alice – the Mad Hatter is loose and might take a liking to ya. You're his... _type." _He wasn't wrong, the woman had long dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and lightly tanned skin. It didn't help that she was wearing a baby blue mini halter dress. She was very, very pretty – just not Joker's type. He only had eyes for his Queen, after all.

"Speak," Joker barked at the man to his left, shooting him a glare.

"Andrew," the man said, looking annoyed.

Joker had returned his attention to his empty glass, ignoring the new drink Johnny set down in front of him. "Tell me, Andrew. Did ya ever hear the joke about the guy with glass in his hands?"

Andrew looked confused and raised an eyebrow. "Uh... no," he said slowly. "You brought us here to tell a joke?"

"I'm the Joker, Andrew, it's what I do," Joker rolled his eyes and cracked his neck, clutching the empty glass tightly in his hand. "Now shut up and listen. You don't wanna miss the punchline!" He leaned forward slightly, looking Andrew right in the eye as he began his joke.

Tommy, Deadshot, Scarecrow, and Johnny watched with amusement, knowing what was coming and not wanting to miss a second of it.

Poor Alice was visibly shaking, her arms wrapped protectively around her. She didn't look at any of the men surrounding her, keeping her watery eyes to the floor.

"So this guy walks into a club with his girlfriend, not realizing who owns the club and probably not even aware that they're in a sketchy, dangerous area just outside of Gotham. The guy has a complex, you see, so he decides to manhandle his girlfriend in the bar. He roughs her up a little, yells at her, disrespects the bartender," Joker's voice lowered into a snarl as he spoke, his eyes flashing black for a moment which made Andrew shudder. "It seems like the guy has mommy issues, ya know? He seems to have a real _problem _with women. Probably didn't get enough hugs as a kid – or maybe his mom was a drunk or a hooker. Either way, you can tell the guy's got some deep-seated issues from the way he treats his girlfriend in public, humiliating and abusing her in front of a crowd."

Andrew looked a little nervous at this point, obviously piecing together that the joke was about him... and it wasn't a joke at all.

Joker ignored the man's nervousness and continued, still locking eyes with him with the empty glass clutched firmly in his hand. "This guy fucked up, though. He didn't realize that the Clown Prince of Crime himself was lurking in VIP, watching everything unfold in _his club._ The Clown Prince saw the way the man was mistreating his girlfriend and the bartender and didn't like it, so he summoned the man to his booth in the VIP section. They talked, they drank, they were having a good ol' time!" Joker grinned maliciously at Andrew and laughed. He used his free hand to grab Andrew's face, stretching his hand across his mouth and perfectly aligning the goofy grin tattoo on his hand under the man's nose. Andrew was sweating, trembling a little with his fear. His eyes were wide, he paled significantly, and his hands were shaking. "Pay close attention, Andrew. Here comes the punchline!" Faster than lightning, Joker smashed the glass in his free hand over the man's head, shattering it, and violently stuck the shards of broken glass into Andrew's hands.

Andrew screamed in terror and pain, trying to wrench away from the Joker, but Deadshot had grabbed the man by his upper arms and held him firmly in place. Joker laughed wickedly, along with Scarecrow, Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot, and Alice was horrified, too terrified and shocked to make noise. Tears streamed down her face and Joker turned to her and gave her a wide grin. "Oh, don't you worry, Alice. You'll be just fine."

He looked back at Andrew, his tattooed hand still firmly clasped over the man's mouth and muffling his screams. "Consider this a warning, Andrew. I better never see you in my club again. If I do, I'll cut your fucking hands off and feed them to you. I'm going to have my boys here keep in touch with the lovely Alice so if you ever come near her or touch her again, I'll know immediately." Joker took his hand off of Andrew's face and cleaned the man's blood off his hands with a napkin, smoothing his hair back once they were spotless. "Now, if I find out that you've bothered Alice in any way ever again, I'll sic Jester on you and you will not live to do so again. You know who Jester is, don't you?"

Joker glared at the man, pinning him with his gaze until Andrew nodded. "Yes, yes I do. I know who she is."

Joker's expression quickly changed to one of pure amusement, his signature grin taking over his face. "Good boy," he growled, slapping the man a few times on the cheek. "Now, just to make sure you understand, what are the rules?"

Andrew looked around at Joker, Scarecrow, Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot and swallowed hard before turning back to face the Joker. "I'm not allowed to come here ever again, and I'm not allowed to speak to, touch, or bother Alice ever again."

"That's right," Joker mused, raking his fingers through his slicked-back hair. "Oh, I forgot to mention one more thing," he snapped his head back down and meet Andrew's eyes again, putting up a warning finger. "You won't ever treat _any _woman like that ever again. It doesn't just apply to Alice. Believe me, Andrew – I _will_ know if you do."

He didn't wait for Andrew to respond before motioning for Johnny to remove the man from the VIP booth.

Johnny moved quickly, ripping the man up by the scruff and yanking him from the booth, dragging him through the club and ignoring the shocked and terrified looks of the other patrons as he made his way to the first floor and the main doors of the club. Once there, Johnny had the henchmen at the doors open them and he picked Andrew up over his head, throwing him out into the parking lot. Andrew landed face first, skidding across the pavement on his face and earning himself some nasty road rash. He screamed in pain, cussing up a storm as he scrambled to get up and began running for his car like his ass was on fire once a gunshot went off behind him. It was a warning shot from Johnny to shut up and get out, and Andrew got the message loud and clear.

Once Johnny got back to the booth and nodded at Joker, Joker grinned and clapped him on the back. "Excellent job, Johnny. Have a seat and a drink, you earned it!" He took a big gulp of his Manhattan and looked at Alice, crooking his finger in a silent command for her to come closer. She shuddered and whimpered but did as he wanted, scooting closer to his left side. "Alice," Joker crooned, locking eyes with her. "Johnny boy is gonna bring you home when you're good and ready to go. You're welcome to sit here with us if you'd like, or Johnny can escort you back to the bar or the first floor. Drinks are on the house."

"Th-thank you," she muttered, struggling to hold his gaze. She was red in the face, embarrassed and scared, but also strangely thankful for the Joker for saving her from her tyrant of a boyfriend.

"Some advice, if I may," Scarecrow interjected, leaning forward and giving the woman a small smile. "Dump that guy – he's trash. No man should be putting his hands on you or yelling in your face."

Alice was shocked by this – she knew who Scarecrow was. Sure, he was dressed like Doctor Crane right now, looking as unassuming, handsome and kind as ever, but she knew about the monster that lurked just beneath the surface. She simply nodded, clasping her hands together in her lap and trembling.

"Here," Scarecrow handed his drink to her, politely excusing himself as he reached over a highly amused Joker. "This will calm your nerves." They all noticed her hesitation as she took the glass and stared down into it, checking the fluid for any signs of drugs or fear toxin. "Darling, if I wanted to hurt you or use my fear toxin on you, I wouldn't use a Manhattan to do so."

She blushed, ducking her head in embarrassment and muttered a very quiet and timid "Sorry."

"You're in the wolves' den, trepidation and apprehension are to be expected. Better to be safe than sorry, right?" Tommy looked at her across the booth and gave her a reassuring smile. "Would you like to go back to the bar or downstairs? Or would you like to go home?"

"If it's alright..." She mustered up what little courage she could and finally met the Joker's eyes again, "I'd like to just hang out here for a bit – if you don't mind, I mean. I don't want to be a bother."

Joker threw his head back and laughed, draping an arm over the back of the booth and leaning back. "You may stay here as long as you'd like, Alice. We won't bite."

"I just need some time to decompress and calm down," she mumbled, taking a hefty chug from Scarecrow's Manhattan. "Thank you for what you did – for sticking up for me."

The guys all chuckled at that, relaxing in their seats and watching her carefully. "Do you know who Jester is?" Deadshot asked, keeping his voice quiet so he didn't scare her more than she already was.

Alice nodded, looking back at Deadshot. "She's the purple-haired woman – the one who kills abusive men and rapists. She's a hero."

Joker grinned at that, beaming with pride. "She's my other half," Joker explained, chuckling at Alice's shocked expression.

"So it's true..." she said breathlessly, clearly in shock.

"Indeed," Scarecrow interjected. "She's a good friend to all of us. She does what she does because she, too, was assaulted nearly half her life by different men."

"Which is why I don't allow that shit in my club or on my watch. You will always be safe here, Alice. If you ever have a problem here and you don't see me, you come find Johnny and tell him what's going on." Joker ruffled her hair, shooting her a wink. "You will be allowed access to the VIP section up here and downstairs whenever you want if you need to make a getaway or just feel like saying hello."

"Thank you, Mister Joker, I really appreciate that." Her small smile faltered and Joker noticed the flash of recognition in her eyes before she spoke again. "What do I uh... what do I owe you for your protection?"

Joker barked a laugh and shook his head. "Not a thing, Alice. Just do me a favor and don't bring any more scumbags here and keep all of this between us, got it?"

Alice nodded, taking another big swig of the drink and coughing as it burned its way down her throat. She handed the drink back to Scarecrow who looked quite amused. He threw the rest of the drink back, politely dabbing at his mouth with a napkin once he set the empty glass down.

Joker finished his drink and stood to leave, smoothing out his clothes and gripping his cane tight in his right hand. "Alright, hoodlums, I'm going home to my other half. You got it from here, boys?" He looked at Tommy, Deadshot, and Johnny who all nodded back at him. "You coming with me, Straw man, or are you gonna hang out?" Joker grinned, noticing the glance Scarecrow cast in Alice's direction before he looked at Joker.

"I've decided to stay a little while longer, Joker. Tell my littlest clown I say hello."

Joker nodded, regarding Alice one last time before turning around and leaving. "Be good, kid."

Alice's eyes widened and she simply nodded, squeaking out a quick "goodbye" as the Joker took his leave.

* * *

Joker found Jester fast asleep in the Greenhouse when he got home, and after thanking Poison Ivy for taking care of her he carefully carried her to the main house and up to their master bedroom with Karma and Hades at his heels. He undressed her and got her tucked in without waking her, much to his relief, and stripped himself down. He slipped into bed beside her, chuckling as the dogs jumped up on the bed and curled up against Jester's side, laying their heads protectively over her growing belly.

Joker turned on his side and watched Jester as she slept, stroking her hair and face lightly with his fingers as he recounted the events at the club. He was never the type to get involved in situations like that, and definitely never cared, but Jester had changed him significantly – more than he'd ever admit. He couldn't stand watching that dickhead Andrew treating Alice that way. The whole time he watched them all he could think about was Jester and all the shit she's endured her entire life. He kept seeing Jester instead of Alice as he watched them, causing his Madness to start trying to claw its way to the surface. He knew he had to step in and take care of it instead of just siccing Johnny on them like he usually would.

He wouldn't ever admit it, but he felt _good _about how he handled that situation tonight and making Alice feel safer. And, if his gut was right, his involvement might've just gained Scarecrow a possible love interest. Scarecrow usually left the club whenever Joker did – he didn't like to stay too long, after all – but he noticed the way Scarecrow looked at the timid, terrified girl before he left and knew instantly that Scarecrow would spend his remaining time at the club talking to the girl. Hell, he hoped it worked out – he wasn't necessarily jealous of Scarecrow's relationship with Jester, but he did hate the fact that Scarecrow seemed to get through to her better than he ever could. If Scarecrow was busy with a love interest of his own, it would give Joker the chance to try and be as in sync and good with Jester as Scarecrow was.

The two of them had a special bond that he didn't understand and couldn't dissect, which was great because Jester needed someone in her life that was calm, understanding, patient, and could always calm her down – but Joker wanted to be that person for her. He always had been, it's just that he wasn't as good at it as Scarecrow was.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and pressed a soft kiss to Jester's forehead, snaking his arm under her neck and gently pulling her close to him as he succumbed to his exhaustion. He fell asleep almost immediately, a small smile on his lips as he calmed his mind with thoughts of Jester, the baby, and how much closer she was to her due date. Soon, he'd be a father.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's. **

**Author's Note:** Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the reviews, favorites and follows! I love reviews! Constructive criticism and suggestions are always welcome, too. I appreciate every single one of you! You guys keep me going – I won't lie, there are days where I am completely uninterested, exhausted, distracted, frustrated, and have zero motivation but I never want to disappoint you guys or myself.

With all that said – here's another chapter! **Enjoy! :) **

* * *

"Wakey, wakey, princess!"

Jester slowly opened her eyes, coming face-to-face with Joker whose expression practically _screamed _'mischief'. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, yawned and stretched out her sore legs. "Morning," she mumbled, still groggy from the deep sleep he had pulled her out of.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," Joker leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, grinning at her when he pulled away.

Jester frowned, tears forming in her tired eyes. It was her 28th birthday, her first birthday without her dad since his passing. Every year on her birthday, her dad and Tommy would take her out fishing for the entire day. Her dad worked 3 jobs for decades, so she only got to see him for a couple of hours on Sundays when he was home and awake for the majority of her life. He would take her birthday off every single year so he could spend the day with her – that's why her birthday was always her favorite day. Jester's dad would wake her up between 4 and 5 AM, urging her to get up so they could get to the bait and tackle shop and get to the lake _'before the fish woke up'_. They'd meet Tommy at whatever lake they had chosen for the day, get Tommy's old rickety boat out on the lake, and they'd spend the day fishing, bonding, laughing, eating sandwiches and sharing stories. They'd be out there all day until the sun began going down and Jester would go home filthy, slimy, and smelly with a huge grin on her face.

Before she knew it, tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was sobbing. Joker sat on the side of the bed and pulled her up and into his arms, stroking her hair to try and soothe her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I know you didn't want any of us to acknowledge or celebrate your birthday, but we all put together a few small surprises for you anyway to try and cheer you up."

Jester buried her head in the crook of Joker's neck and cried harder, wrapping her arms tight around him. "It's fine. I just miss my dad," her voice was cracked and hoarse and it broke Joker's heart to hear it. "You guys didn't need to do anything. I just wanted to treat today like any other day."

"I think you'll like what we've put together for ya," Joker assured her, grinning into her hair. "I brought you breakfast in bed. Once you're finished, we'll get you dressed and downstairs. Tommy's got a little surprise for ya."

Jester nodded, too exhausted and hurt to fight him on it, and pulled away. Joker wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs before getting up and retrieving the tray of french toast, bacon, cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit, coffee and vitamins that he had fixed for her. He carefully set it down on her lap once she was sitting up and settled and kissed her forehead, sitting back down beside her and watching as she scarfed down her breakfast. He grinned, amused that she hadn't noticed the flowers that nearly filled up their bedroom yet.

Once she was finished and calmly sipping her coffee, Joker cleared his throat to get her attention. As soon as their eyes met, he spread his arms wide. "Ta-da!" he crowed, grinning madly at her.

She raised a curious eyebrow at him before it hit her – there was something different about their bedroom – something darker. She reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her glasses, carefully sliding them onto her face. Once she could see, she took another look, beginning to cry again when she realized the dark masses all over the room were flowers. There must've been thousands of purple peonies, black dahlias, and Landini lilies all over the place. Half of them were in actual vases carefully placed around the room and the other half seemed to be floating on the wall, pinned very carefully so they didn't droop or die.

"Oh my god," she murmured, absolutely shocked.

"Do ya like 'em?" Joker scooted back on the bed so he was sitting beside her and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

"I love them," she breathed, marveling at the gorgeous flowers. "How did you manage this? Who did all of this? How the hell did you pull this off without me knowing?"

Joker laughed, running his fingers through her hair. "I did it while you were asleep – it was easy. You sleep like the dead."

"You did all of this by yourself?" Jester was in awe.

Joker nodded. "Of course. Anything for you."

Jester grinned, wiping away a few stray tears that managed to escape. She hugged him tightly and kissed him, running her hands affectionately through his hair. "I love you," Jester planted a kiss on his cheek and hugged him tight, already feeling a lot better than she had when she first woke up.

"And I love you," Joker whispered, happy that he could cheer her up on one of the worst days she'd ever have.

* * *

"**Happy birthday!**"

Jester startled as she walked into the living room, not expecting everyone to be waiting for her in there. "Holy fucking shit," she gasped, clutching at her chest. They had accidentally sparked a panic attack – her heart was slamming in her chest, her stomach was doing flips, her throat felt tight and her eyes were darting frantically around the room.

Once she had centered herself and her heart resumed its normal pace, she made her way around the room hugging everyone. There was nothing in the living room – nothing that she noticed, anyway. No surprises she could see. Tommy was grinning like the Cheshire Cat, standing by the doorway with something hidden behind his back.

"What are you up to?" Jester asked, giving him a skeptical look.

He didn't say a word and his grin only widened as he slowly moved his arms forward to present the item he had been hiding to her. It was an old, dirty tackle box – mostly white with orange trim and an orange handle. It was her father's tackle box. She was surprised he had found it, she kept it hidden out of sight on the highest shelf in her walk-in closet.

"How'd you find it?" She was incredulous, staring at the old tackle box as if it could be a fake.

"A little birdie told me where it was hidden," Tommy glanced at Joker who mirrored his grin, shooting Jester a wink.

"We're keeping up with tradition and going fishing today, cuz," Tommy was excited. He was dressed in one of his old painting t-shirts, a pair of old jeans with paint stains on them, and his work boots.

Before Jester allowed her excitement to overwhelm her, she turned to look at Joker. "You're letting me out of the house?" She raised an eyebrow at him, folding her arms over her belly.

Joker chuckled, making his way over to her and pulling her as close as he could to him. "Of course," he murmured, planting a kiss on her forehead. "It's your birthday, princess. When Tommy came to me about this, I couldn't say no. Your dad might not be here to celebrate with you and take you fishing, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't go anyway."

"I assume this means we'll have a bunch of goons accompanying us for _security_, then?"

Joker pulled back from her and fixed her with a stern look. "Darling, just take the opportunity and run with it. You know I can't let you go out there without some kind of security – we're still on the Most Wanted list, you're still pregnant, and I can't risk anything happening to you or the baby."

"Fine," Jester conceded, trying to fight off the small smile creeping onto her face. "Who's our security detail, then?"

"Us," Deadshot answered, motioning to himself, Johnny, Harley, Catwoman, and finally to Joker himself.

"Security was the wrong word, then," Jester smiled brightly, wiggling with her excitement. "Family fishing trip!" she shrieked, punching her fists in the air in celebration.

"Straw Man and Ivy will be staying behind. Scaredy is gonna watch our good ol' Doctor Davis, and Ivy... well, you know how Ivy is. She'd rather be in the greenhouse than participating in _'the abuse and senseless murder of aquatic life.'" _Joker rolled his eyes, ignoring the glare Poison Ivy was currently giving him from across the room.

"Sorry, littlest clown. Someone's got to stay behind and make sure the good Doctor Davis doesn't make a run for it – besides, I think she could use some company." Scarecrow gave Jester a warm, tight hug and ruffled her hair affectionately. "I can't wait to hear all about it when you come back."

"I have to get my little backpack and some other stuff before we go," Jester muttered, making a mental list of supplies she'd want and need while they were fishing.

"Already taken care of," Tommy chirped, picking up her little backpack from where he had tucked it under a chair in the corner. He brought it to her and opened it, showing that he already had a bunch of paper towels, hand sanitizer, chapstick, and disposable vinyl gloves inside it. "The sandwiches are in Ziploc bags, too," he assured her, knowing she was quite the germaphobe when it came to fishing – especially eating while fishing.

"You're the best," Jester slipped the backpack on with some help from Joker and looked down at her shoes. "I gotta put on my old boots if we're going fishing."

"Got those covered, too," Deadshot cut in, providing her with a brand new pair of black non-slip, water-resistant work boots. He bought them a size up and wide since the pregnancy made her feet swell. "I already fixed the laces on them just the way you like 'em."

"Sit," Joker ordered, pulling out a seat for her. He helped her into it and crouched down, taking the boots from Deadshot. He took off her slip-on shoes and placed them neatly on the floor before carefully slipping on the boots and tying them for her. He made sure to tuck her skinny sweatpants into the boots because he knew her well enough to know that she'd be all kinds of uncomfortable and aggravated if the boots rubbed against her bare ankles. "Now you're ready to go!"

She was delighted to see Tommy was using his truck for the trip. She looked into the bed and saw all of her dad's fishing rods tucked neatly inside it, all completely fixed and restrung with new line. She fought back the tears that came to her eyes, knowing Tommy must have been working on them for a while in anticipation of her birthday. She had cried enough already, she wanted to enjoy the day, not spend it being heartbroken and crying.

* * *

Scarecrow was down in the basement with Dr. Davis, teaching her biochemistry as he had been during the entire duration of her 'stay' at the mansion. He was pleased and impressed with the Doctor, not only because of her interest in biochemistry but also because she was picking it up pretty quickly. She was a very intelligent, driven, and talented woman.

No one else in the house knew, and Scarecrow would never mention it, but he and the Doctor had gotten relatively friendly with each other during all of their lessons together in the basement.

"So, how's Alice?" Doctor Davis gave Scarecrow a knowing smirk and he blushed a little.

"She's fine. We talk from time to time." Scarecrow didn't want to say too much about his developing interest in the woman from the club. He liked to keep his private life, well... _private. _

Scarecrow's burner phone buzzed as if Alice somehow knew her name had been brought up. He flipped the phone open and opened the text message, keeping his expression as stoic as possible as he read it.

_'Just wanted to say hello. I was thinking of going to Giggles later tonight, hope to see you there.' _

"I won't tell them, you know," Dr. Davis murmured, busying herself with the little project Scarecrow had given her for practice. "I don't have much to do with them anyway."

"Why _is_ that?" Scarecrow set the phone down on the table, deciding not to send a response just yet. "What are you afraid of? They won't hurt or kill you – you're much too valuable to Joker and Jester."

"Right," Doctor Davis agreed, frowning. "I'm not stupid, Doctor Crane. I know they'll kill me as soon as they no longer have any use for me."

She startled a little when she felt Scarecrow's hand on her shoulder. "On the contrary, my dear," he assured her. "You know who Jester is, what she does. She will not allow any harm to come to you – she most certainly won't allow anyone to simply dispose of you, either."

"Joker will kill me. I'm a loose end – I'm an outsider who knows about the baby. He won't just let me go, I'm a liability. In his mind, I am a risk to the baby's safety."

"Trust me, Doctor Davis. Jester will not allow it." Scarecrow removed his hand from her shoulder and picked the phone back up, trying to think of a response. He wasn't very good at talking to women, nor courting them. He hadn't paid too much attention to them, always too preoccupied with his studies, experiments, and trying to evade the Batman and Arkham Asylum lockups. He began typing, trying to keep the message concise.

_'Unfortunately, I will not be there tonight. Be safe, Alice.' _

"So? You gonna see her tonight?" Doctor Davis ripped him out of his thoughts and he turned to face her, giving her a confused look.

"No. It is Jester's birthday, I will be here to celebrate with her once they return from their fishing trip."

"It's her birthday? Oh, I feel terrible. I didn't see her today, I didn't say anything." Doctor Davis frowned, a guilty expression marring her face.

Scarecrow chuckled. "Well, you have nothing to feel guilty about. This is Jester's first birthday since her father's passing and she didn't want us to acknowledge it. She wanted us to treat today the same as we would any other day."

"But you guys set some things up anyway, didn't you?"

"Of course," Scarecrow smirked. "I know that Joker had a nice little surprise for her this morning, Tommy set the fishing trip up to continue her birthday tradition, and I'm not sure what is happening afterward but I do know that my presence is required."

"What did Joker do for her?" Doctor Davis looked up at Scarecrow, a small smile on her lips.

"He made her breakfast in bed and filled the entire room with flowers." Scarecrow grinned.

"That's ridiculously sweet," she mused. "But don't tell him I said that!"

"Oh, I won't. He'd kill me if he knew I told you."

"Of course. He's the big, bad Joker. He can't be seen as anything other than ruthless, insane, and brilliant."

They both chuckled at that, stopping when Scarecrow's burner phone began ringing. He sighed, knowing it was Alice. He ignored the mischievous grin on Doctor Davis' face and answered, pacing the basement to try and keep his conversation as private as he could.

"_Jonathan?" _

"Hello, Alice," Scarecrow answered, running his free hand through his hair. "Is something wrong?"

"_Oh, no. I just figured it would be easier to call you than to text back and forth." _She sounded a little nervous, as if she wanted to say something else but was hesitating to.

"Alice, dear, what's on your mind?" Scarecrow prodded her, hoping she'd get to the point already so he could get back to his work.

"_I was wondering – I mean, this is probably a stupid question since you can't be out in public or anything – would you, uh... would you like to come over for dinner and drinks sometime? I know you're busy tonight, I just -"_

Scarecrow cut her off politely. "Alice... are you trying to ask me out on a date?"

She sighed, taking a deep breath before answering. _"I – well, yes. I guess I'd just like to see you outside of Giggles sometime." _

Scarecrow stopped pacing, keeping his voice low as he spoke. "Oh, Alice. I would like to see you too, but I can't. Not outside of Giggles, and not romantically." He didn't miss the sharp breath she took in at his words, clearly hurt and disappointed at the way the conversation was playing out. "Apologies, darling. You're still welcome to the club anytime, especially to the VIP sections. You're a lovely woman, Alice. It's nothing personal."

"_There's someone else, isn't there? I had a feeling... it's alright, I understand. Well, it was lovely spending time with you, Jonathan." _Her voice cracked, and Scarecrow couldn't understand why the sound of it bothered him.

"Alice, wait." He took a deep breath and briefly contemplated his next words, silently scolding himself for this moment of weakness. "Can you meet me at Giggles in half an hour?"

"_Um, sure. Yeah, I can be there. I'll leave now." _She sounded skeptical.

"I will see you soon, Alice," Scarecrow promised, ending the call. He turned and made his way back to Doctor Davis, pulling off his gloves and protective glasses. "I'm afraid I must leave."

"Interesting choice of words, Doctor Crane," Doctor Davis teased, winking at him. "It's fine, I'll probably go back up to my room. And Doctor Crane... don't mess things up with that girl. She knows exactly who you are and wants to be around you anyway. You'd be stupid to push her away."

"No, I'd be stupid to let her get close." Scarecrow didn't say another word as he escorted Doctor Davis back upstairs to the kitchen. He went to his room and changed into a light blue button-up shirt, navy dress pants, and a nice pair of dress shoes to match. He put on a navy blue tie to match his pants and fixed his tousled hair, double-checking his reflection before making his way back downstairs and outside to one of the black SUV's in the driveway. He wasn't sure why, but he felt slightly anxious as he drove to Giggles.

* * *

"Let her through," Scarecrow demanded, glaring at the henchmen currently trying to block Alice's path.

"Sorry, Scarecrow," one of them muttered, ducking his head and stepping to the side. The other one didn't say a word and avoided eye contact as he opened the door for Alice, motioning for her to go inside.

Scarecrow ignored the confused look Alice shot him as he escorted her inside with a hand pressed gently against her lower back. Giggles was closed at the moment, not yet open for the night since it was only 1:00 in the afternoon. He knew no one would be here, giving the two of them privacy as they talked. He led Alice to the VIP section on the second floor, escorting her to the very same booth where they first met. He sat opposite her, trying not to make it obvious as he raked his eyes over her and took in how beautiful she looked. Her hair was down, cascading over her back and shoulders in big ringlet curls. She had light makeup on, just enough to make her hazel eyes pop, and wore a coral pink colored lipstick. She had on a pretty floral printed floor-length short-sleeved sundress and white crocheted flats to match. Her nails looked freshly manicured, painted with perfect french tips.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, dragging his eyes back up to meet hers. He frowned when he noticed how red-rimmed and wet they looked, realizing she had been crying.

"Thank you," she whispered, dropping her gaze to her hands that were neatly folded in her lap.

"Alice... there isn't anyone else. I'm not that kind of man."

She didn't look up, keeping her eyes locked on her hands. She simply nodded, acknowledging that she heard him, not saying a word.

"You are aware of who I am and what I've done – the things I continue to do. I cannot allow you to be a part of my life, Alice. You're a liability."

Her head snapped up at that, and she glared hatefully at him. He recoiled slightly, surprised by her reaction.

"I'm a _liability? _Is that why you gave me your number? Is that why you told me to call you by your given name? Is that why you've come here more often, drinking and talking with me in this very booth? Make up your mind, Jonathan! I'm not a plaything!"

Scarecrow sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alice, you misinterpreted what I said. I'm not good at this, but I'm trying." He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his legs and his hands laced together. He looked her right in the eye, hoping she'd understand he meant every word he was saying. "What I'm trying to say is that the closer you get to me, the more attached you get to me, the more your safety and your very _life are at_ risk. I would prefer not to have that on my conscience day after day."

"So this _isn't_ about you being in love with Jester and me being in the way, then?" Her voice was laced with contempt and Scarecrow furrowed his eyebrows in his confusion, completely flabbergasted by the accusation.

"Pardon me?" He was repeating the words over and over in his mind, trying to make sense of them and understand where she may have gotten that idea from – he came up with nothing.

"Oh, please! You get starry-eyed whenever you talk about her – which is quite often, by the way. On top of that, you are always itching to leave whenever you're here, insisting you need to be back home – wherever the hell that even _is_ – with her." She was scowling and Scarecrow couldn't help but take a mental note of how unattractive it made her seem at the moment. "You're always going on and on about how much she needs you and how you need to be there to take care of her. It makes me wonder – is the baby Joker's, or _yours_?"

"Mind your tongue," Scarecrow warned, his expression contorting with his fury. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Oh, I think I do. I think you're in love with Jester, and I think you're having an affair with her."

"Alice," Scarecrow hissed, standing up and stalking over to her. He loomed over her, causing her to press herself back against the booth in fear, trying to create a distance between them. Scarecrow didn't let up, leaning down over her and pulling her head up by her chin so they were eye to eye. "Do not say another word."

"I'm right, aren't I?" Her voice was a whisper.

Scarecrow shook his head, biting back the bought of spiteful laughter that bubbled up in his throat. "I'm a psychopath, Alice. Psychopaths don't _love._"

"Explain Jester and Joker, then," Alice challenged.

Scarecrow clenched his jaw, bringing his face even closer to hers to make her fear spike. It worked. "That is none of my business, nor is it any of yours. There is nothing between Jester and me, and not that it is any of your concern, but that baby is Joker's. There is no doubt about it."

"But you wish it was yours," Alice wasn't letting the subject go, and Scarecrow found himself fighting back the urge to drag her back to the mansion and torture her for her heinous accusations and behavior.

"I do not," his voice was low and laced with venom. "This conversation is over, Alice. I think it's best if you leave and don't come back here again. If Joker ever heard about this or heard you say these things aloud, he'd make you suffer in ways you can't even imagine – ways that even my fear toxin wouldn't accomplish."

He hadn't anticipated the swift, stinging slap she gave him. He recoiled, bringing his hand to his cheek and glaring at her. "You dare?" He whispered, looking quite dangerous and furious.

She met his glare with one of her own, refusing to shrink back from him in her fear. "Oh, I dare," she countered. "You don't get to threaten me."

"I understand that you are feeling quite confident and invincible since Joker saved you from the trash you brought in here that first night and gave you a golden pass. I understand that you have a history of dating men that have abused you in one way or another and taken advantage of you. I also understand that because I have been kind to you and I have shown interest in you, you believe I would never harm you." He reached down and grabbed her wrists tightly in his hands, ignoring the way she winced in pain. He grinned when fear flooded her expression, tears swimming in her wide eyes. "You forget that Joker is not the only man in this club who has killed for entertainment and personal pleasure."

"I didn't mean -"

Scarecrow chuckled, cutting her off. "Of course you meant it – you only wish to take it back now because I did not react the way you expected. I will tell you this once and only once, Alice, so listen well. Leave this club and don't ever return. If I see you here again, you won't see the light of the next day."

He smoothed the wrinkles out of his clothes and avoided her gaze as he breezed past her, making his way out of the club. He ignored her as she chased him, yelling at him and cussing at him in her fury and got into the SUV, careful not to run her over as he took off back towards the mansion. He was careful as he drove, taking wild turns and deserted roads that he usually wouldn't to make sure he wasn't being followed by Alice or anyone else.

_'I think you're in love with Jester.' _

Alice's words played over and over in his mind as he drove, haunting him.

_'You get starry-eyed whenever you talk about her – which is quite often, by the way. On top of that, you are always itching to leave whenever you're here, insisting you need to be back home – wherever the hell that even is – with her.' _

He shook his head and turned up the radio to try and drown out Alice's words. "That's ridiculous," he muttered, his eyes narrowing. "I don't love her. I just care. It's only natural. It's human nature."

_'You're always going on and on about how much she needs you and how you need to be there to take care of her.'_

"Of course I need to take care of her. She's pregnant, she needs all of us." He finally reached the driveway to the mansion, pressing the code into the pad and waiting patiently for the huge, heavy iron gates to swing open. He drove his way up the hill the mansion sat on, parking the SUV in its regular spot and entering the house through the garage. He noticed Jester, Joker and the others weren't back yet and bit back a sigh of relief. He made his way up to the second floor where his room was, locking himself inside and pacing.

"I'm not in love with her. I'm _not._"

He cursed Alice for ever saying a word about any of it. He had never, ever thought twice about his closeness with Jester nor his affection towards her before Alice opened her mouth about it. Now all he could do was think about it as he paced in his room, trying to convince himself Alice was just paranoid and crazy due to her jealousy.

"I am a psychopath. Psychopaths are incapable of feeling love. Psychopaths are incapable of feeling empathy. Psychopaths do not suffer from _emotions._"

He repeated the words over and over, trying to fight off the wave of nausea that rolled in his stomach as he realized that no matter how many times he said the words, they simply weren't true.

* * *

Later that night, Jester sat out on the deck with everyone, enjoying the company of her friends and the nice weather. Harley decorated the entire deck with rustic looking lanterns full of little LED lights with matching strings of LED lights stretching in neat, precise rows from the entrance to the deck to the trees in the yard. It all looked very beautiful and cast a nice, warm glow on the deck. There were unscented candles lit on the little outdoor coffee table with some of the flowers from the master bedroom neatly placed around them to make the display even prettier. Deadshot had cooked dinner for everyone. He made Jester's favorite, the chicken stir fry that Jester's dad always used to make and Jester was thrilled. Tommy made Brussels sprouts and asparagus for Jester since she loved both vegetables and needed the nutrition, and drizzled a nice balsamic glaze over them. Harley and Catwoman made brownies, mini Oreo cheesecakes, a large sheet confetti cake, apple pie, banana cream pie, chocolate chip cookies, and oatmeal cookies, and even made chocolate-covered strawberries for dessert. Jester had no idea how they had pulled any of it off, but she was ecstatic about all of it. Nobody sang the Happy Birthday song which Jester was thankful for – she had all but _begged _them not to. She didn't know why, but she hated the song her entire life and it always gave her panic attacks. This year, she was able to eat and enjoy her birthday cake without choking on it.

Their fishing trip had been a bit uneventful, but it was a good one nonetheless. Tommy had bought a pontoon boat a few months prior in anticipation of Jester's birthday. It was a gorgeous boat, white with cream-colored leather cushion seats. There were booth seats along both sides and a few captain's chairs that Jester found comfortable. They didn't catch much, but they all had a good day fishing, chatting, laughing and enjoying the weather on the lake. Tommy had chosen a lake in a remote area, one that wasn't traveled much and where they wouldn't be found by the Bat or GCPD. Joker hadn't fished at all, not wanting to dirty his fancy suit or his nice shoes. Jester had a good laugh about that, amused by his efforts to try and hide his disgust. Despite his refusal to fish, he was in total support of Jester. He cheered her on when she caught a fish and reeled it in, he told her how proud of her he was every time she baited her hook with mealworms and earthworms despite how gross it was and bragged to everyone else about her catches – even when she only caught little sunnies.

While dinner and dessert were being made in the kitchen, Joker had cleaned Jester up. He got her in a nice hot shower, scrubbing her skin clean with antibacterial body wash and then her exfoliating lavender wash. He massaged her scalp while he shampooed and conditioned her hair, and he even trimmed the ends for her – under her scrutiny, of course. He gave her a nice full body massage with her favorite black chamomile scented aromatherapy lotion and helped get her dressed in a black strapless knee-length maxi dress. Harley had taken a break from baking to help Jester with her hair. Jester was no good at braiding her hair and desperately wanted it in french braids, so Harley did them for her with the precision of a seasoned hairstylist.

They had all been sitting outside for a while, just enjoying each other's company and chatting away, watching the dogs play in the yard. Jester even had a tiny bit of white wine, a small glass worth, to celebrate a flawless birthday. She was currently settled against Joker on the sofa, her legs stretched out comfortably and her head and back resting against his chest. His arms were wrapped tight around her, resting his hands as he always did on her large, swollen belly.

"Are you ready for your presents?" Joker whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her neck and sending chills down her spine.

"Presents?" Jester asked, turning her head slightly to look up at him.

Joker nodded, grinning wickedly at her. "Oh yes. It's your birthday, princess. Princesses always get presents!"

"Nothin' crazy, I promise," Harley chirped, sensing Jester's hesitation. "Just some things we thought ya might want."

Jester kept her eyes on Joker, her eyebrows furrowed in her suspicion. "Alright," she agreed, studying his expression carefully. His grin never faltered.

"Mine is last," he declared, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek with. He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth and carefully slipped off of the sofa so he could help her up. With her belly so big and her due date coming so quickly, she was having a hard time moving around by herself.

"Oh boy," Jester muttered, following Joker back inside and to the living room that was now full of boxes of all different shapes and sizes, wrapped in all different kinds of paper with different colored bows on each. "What is this?!"

"Relax, kid," Deadshot chuckled, lightly patting her head. "It's nothin' crazy, just like Harley said. Just some things we thought you'd like."

"I don't know where to start," she sighed, settling herself down into a chair. Joker pulled a chair up next to hers and began taking boxes from the other side of the room and stacking them up in front of Jester where she could reach them.

"There's no order to them," Johnny supplied, giving her a reassuring smile as he opened up a fresh box of garbage bags to collect all the wrappings in. "Just tear them up!"

"Here, let me." Catwoman smiled reassuringly at Jester, kneeling at her other side and using her claws to cut through ribbon, twine, tape, and tricky wrapping paper that just didn't want to tear.

Jester grinned at her in thanks, carefully taking gifts from Catwoman as she helped unwrap them.

The first few gifts were definite necessities – diapers, onesies, binkies, bottles, formula, thermometers, wipes, lotions, shampoos, body washes, ointments, 3 brand new diaper bags that were all clown-themed and predominately black, two strollers, two baby carriers, countless car seats for all different ages, little hats of all colors, socks, booties, books on child-rearing and other baby-related information, and a ton of other baby supplies that she never even thought about getting. She also got things for herself, which made her burst into tears. They all got her things she'd want and need, making sure she'd be happy and comfortable after the baby came. She got a new straightener, a new curling iron, a new blow dryer, a ton of brand new and expensive makeup, new clothes for all different seasons that would fit her post-baby, extra ammo for her guns, a sharpener for her knives, night vision goggles, new gloves for work, some new bandannas for her hair, hair clips and hair ties, body lotions, exfoliating body washes and scrubs, tons of different high-end bath salts in all the scents she liked and specifically made for aching joints, stress, fatigue, and back pain, and brand new reflective, water-proof winter jackets for the dogs.

"You guys are out of control," she chuckled, handing the last box back to Catwoman who had been sorting and organizing everything along with Harley. "Thank you, guys. From the bottom of my heart, I mean it – this is just too much," her voice was broken and raspy from all her crying and everyone laughed at her, making comments about how precious she was when she was happy.

"One more thing," Poison Ivy interjected, sauntering into the living room in all her green, glowing glory. She ignored the suspicious look Joker shot her as she slowly approached Jester, carefully handing her the same succulent plant she had stolen in Arkham. "I want you to have this. If you're ever in any trouble in the house or need me for any reason, all you have to do is touch this plant and I will know. I thought it might be good to keep in the baby's room – you'll be spending a lot of time there, I'm sure, and it will protect the baby any time he is alone in his room."

Jester choked on a sob, carefully placing the growing succulent in her lap and pulling Ivy as close as she could in a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you," she choked, crying into her friend's shoulder.

Ivy laughed, stroking Jester's hair. "No need," she said coolly, slowly pulling away from Jester. "Just an extra security measure."

Joker rolled his eyes beside Jester, feigning annoyance at Ivy's gift. Truthfully he was very pleased and impressed by the idea, but he'd die before he ever showed it. "Are you ready for your final gifts?"

Jester nodded, wiping her eyes and cheeks with the backs of her hands. She took his hand once more, letting him help her up out of her seat. "Why are we going to the garage?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow at him as he walked them towards the door. Everyone else was following them and doing a very, very poor job of hiding their excitement and amusement. "What the hell is going on?" She knew some kind of huge surprise was coming and it made her nervous – she _hated _surprises.

"Would ya quit your yappin' and just follow me?" He sounded as amused as everyone else and refused to answer her question, deciding that opening the door and leading her into the garage was a better option.

"What the..." Jester was confused as she looked around the garage. Their four-car garage was empty except for one car that she didn't recognize with a big red bow wrapped around it. "What the fuck?" She whirled around, giving Joker another suspicious look.

"Find out for yourself, darling," he cooed, wrapping an arm around her waist and gently leading her to the car. The closer they got, the better Jester was able to see the mystery car.

When they finally reached it and she realized what it was, she shrieked in pure joy. "You're fucking kidding me!" She yelled, wiggling with excitement. "_You're_ _fucking kidding me!" _

"Ah, not this time," he said coolly, grinning at her. "To prove it..." He reached into his pocket and cackled as he pulled the keys out, dangling them at her. "It's all yours, baby."

"No fucking way! Impossible! You didn't!" Her eyes widened and her jaw went slack. "You _didn't_," she said more sternly as if this was all some sort of sick joke. "No!"

"Yes!" Joker laughed, clicking the unlock button on the remote to the car and opening the driver's side door. "I did!"

Jester burst into tears again, not even caring that this was probably the millionth time she cried today. She stepped back, taking in the full image of the matte black 2016 Range Rover. It was the 3.0L V6 Supercharged HSE 4WD model, painted completely matte black with matching matte black rims on it. The interior was completely black from the dash to the seats and everything in between, and the seats themselves were leather. All of the windows were tinted, the license plates read 'QUEEN', and she knew the windows were made of bulletproof glass.

"How?" She whispered, coming around the side of the car and peering at the interior through the open driver door.

"You asked me the same thing when I got you the GNX," Joker mused, kissing the top of her head. "I'll tell you the same thing I told you back then – I'm the Joker, baby, I always get what I want."

"Can I please test drive it?" Jester asked the question quietly, knowing it was a long shot. During the entire pregnancy, Joker wouldn't let her leave the house. She wasn't even 'allowed' to set foot in the driveway. She knew that asking to test drive her brand new SUV was probably out of the question, and she didn't want to be humiliated in front of everyone else when he said no.

"Of course," he answered, ignoring the look of shock that bled into her features. "You'll be driving it to Giggles tonight."

"What?" She croaked, ripping her gaze away from Joker's and staring wildly at her friends. "Am I being Punked? Where's Ashton Kutcher? Is that scrawny son of a bitch hiding around here somewhere?" She spun around, peering curiously around the garage. "Come out, come out, Ashton!" She yelled. "Just come out and yell 'YOU GOT PUNK'D!' already!"

Everyone burst out laughing, except for Scarecrow, and Tommy shook his head. "Cuz... it's not a joke. You're going to Giggles with us tonight."

"I am?" She asked incredulously, returning her attention to Joker. "I am?"

"Happy birthday, doll," Joker spread his arms wide, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Harley!" Jester shouted, eyes wild.

Harley cackled, coming right over to her best friend. "Lemme guess, ya want me to help ya get ready, right?"

Jester nodded frantically, trying to rush her way through the garage. Joker laughed as he watched her waddle, struggling to move any faster in her haste to get all dressed up for her first night at Giggles since it opened.

"You did good, man," Deadshot clapped him on the back, watching Catwoman, Ivy, and Harley escort Jester into the house. "Today was a good day for her."

Joker nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Let's hope tonight is better," he muttered, catching Tommy's eye from across the garage. "Tommy boy, let's have a chat. The rest of ya – clear out."

Tommy waited until everyone else left the garage and it was just him and the Joker before making his way over to the clown. "What's up, boss?" He chirped, smirking at the man.

Joker looked conflicted and frustrated – a look Tommy had never seen before on the man's face. He didn't say anything, waiting for the Joker to initiate the conversation. "Listen, kid," Joker began, shoving his hand into his pocket and fumbling with something in it. Tommy tried not to pay any attention to it, keeping his eyes locked on Joker's. "I wanna do somethin', and since her old man isn't around anymore I figured I gotta ask you."

The realization of what was about to happen hit Tommy like a ton of bricks and he carefully made his way to the workbench behind him, leaning back against it for support. "This isn't what I think it is... is it?"

Joker coughed awkwardly into his fist, avoiding eye contact for a moment. "Uh... well, it's not like I've done this before. It's not that I'm _asking – _asking Jester, I mean. I just think she should have it, and I want her to wear it, but it doesn't mean we're gonna... well, uh... _tie the knot." _

"Holy fucking shit," Tommy breathed, raking his hands through his spiked hair. "This is not happening right now."

"Alrighty then!" Joker chirped, turning on his heel and making his way swiftly towards the door.

"Stop," Tommy choked out, holding up a hand. "Just give me a minute, man. You know she's like a little sister to me. It's just gonna take me a minute to process this."

Joker nodded, pacing around the garage while Tommy tried to compose himself and make sense of what was happening. "Wait – you said you're not going to 'tie the knot'. What are you giving her a ring for, then?"

Joker met Tommy's gaze and sighed, pulling the box out of his pocket and eyeing it as he spoke. "I know how she feels about marriage – she never wants to get married. She's having my child, though, so it only makes sense to give her something nice – something _meaningful." _

"You realize that on top of saying she never wanted to get married, she also said she never wanted to have children either, right?" Tommy smirked at Joker, folding his arms across his abdomen as he leaned against the workbench. "Yet here we are – she's due in just a few weeks, she's big as a blimp."

"That's _different!" _Joker hissed, raking a hand through his hair again. "It's different!"

"You're an intelligent man, Joker. You know as well as I do that it's not different. You got her a ring and plan on giving it to her tonight, and you're asking _me _for permission because Uncle Dave is dead. If Uncle Dave was alive, you'd be asking _him –_ that means something, man. You want to marry her."

"But she wouldn't marry _me_," Joker argued, ceasing his pacing. "We're wanted criminals, it's not possible anyway."

Tommy sighed, rubbing his hands down his face in annoyance. "You're an idiot, J," he muttered, ignoring the glare Joker shot him for his comment. "All you need is for one of us to get ordained online and we can do it here, or at Giggles, or wherever she wants. If you think she won't marry you, you're stupid. She's having a baby with you – she's carrying _your _child in her womb right now, and you think she won't marry you?"

"You're supposed to be the guy telling me to stay away from her, that she deserves better, that I've corrupted and destroyed her, and that I won't be a good father and could never be a good enough husband for her. Do you forget who I am?" Joker cocked his head at Tommy, raising an eyebrow at him.

Tommy laughed. "I do, and that's exactly the point. I haven't seen my cousin happy like this in her entire life – not since she was really little and spent her summers with Grandma and Pop. For some reason, the two of you are perfect together. You balance each other out. She calms you down and grounds you, and you build her up and give her strength. Back when you had kidnapped me, I thought you were a fucking psychotic douchebag – but now that I've been around and I've gotten to know you and seen the way you are with my little cousin, I couldn't imagine a better man for her."

"I think I'll take that as a compliment," Joker laughed, coming over to Tommy and clapping him on the shoulder.

"Alright, man. Ask me." Tommy grinned at Joker, amused by the Joker's surprise.

"Huh?"

"You gotta ask me, man, or it's not official."

Joker rolled his eyes dramatically and huffed. "Alright, alright." He looked Tommy right in the eye and straightened his spine. "Tommy, may I have your cousin's hand in marriage?"

They both burst out laughing at that, their cackles echoing throughout the garage.

"Jesus, that was awkward," Tommy gasped, doubled over with his hands on his knees to brace himself. "You got it, man."

They both recovered from their fits of laughter and shook hands before making their way back into the house, ignoring the curious looks Scarecrow, Deadshot, and Johnny were giving them.

Joker smiled as he heard Jester's squeals of excitement coming from their bedroom upstairs. Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman were helping her with her hair and makeup and an outfit for the night, and he knew she was thrilled to be getting out of the house and going to Giggles for the first time. It had taken a _lot _of convincing from Johnny, Tommy, and Deadshot, but he had finally agreed to let her go tonight since it was her birthday and he didn't want her sitting at home crying and miserable. He just hoped none of his business associates decided to drop by tonight – he didn't want anyone outside of their circle knowing about her pregnancy.

* * *

Jester finally made her way down the stairs, with the help of Harley and Catwoman, dressed in a vintage-style black lace knee-length dress. It had a scoop neck, capped sleeves, and a thick black band just over the swell of her belly. It looked gorgeous on her, nearly hiding her belly. She was barefoot at the moment, too nervous and wobbly on her feet to attempt walking down four flights of stairs in her stiletto heels. She was holding them by the straps in her right hand, grinning like a madwoman as she finally reached the ground floor. "Ta-da!" She shouted theatrically, spreading her arms wide and spinning slowly to show off her outfit, hair, and makeup. Joker whistled at her and purred loudly, stalking her like a wild cat.

"You are _divine," _he whispered, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. He was wearing an aqua green button up to match her eyes with a pair of black slacks and black oxfords. He had all his jewelry on, his shirt half unbuttoned, and his tie loose around his shoulders as he always did, but tonight something was different about him.

"What's this?" Jester asked, raising an eyebrow at him as she carefully pulled all of his chains up to examine them. There was a new one around his neck made of black gold, just as thick and long as the others. She had never seen it on him before.

"This," Joker began, clasping her hand in his, "is for our son when he's older. I jumped the gun and decided he'll probably be more like you than me and will prefer black gold over yellow gold."

"You're ridiculous," Jester chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "And I love you."

"And _I _love _you," _Joker emphasized the words, grinning madly at her. "You look gorgeous."

Jester grinned, blushing a little and forgetting about everyone else in the foyer. Harley and Catwoman had curled her hair in loose ringlets, creating a tousled bed-head look. Her eye makeup was dark and smoky the way she liked it, and her signature burgundy lipstick was neatly painted on her lips. She wore all the jewelry Joker had given her and had forgone her contacts in favor of wearing her large, rectangular black-rimmed designer eyeglasses. She had been wearing her glasses more and more lately, liking them much better than the contacts – especially since her eye allergies caused her to constantly take her contacts out and rinse them day after day.

"You look pretty good yourself, old man," She teased, trailing a finger down his exposed chest. "Can we go?"

"Yes, we can go," he laughed, snaking his arm around her waist and helping her out the front door. "I had Johnny pull the car up for ya. Less walking."

She laughed, still barefoot as she made her way down the stone sidewalk and towards the driveway. "I gotta put my shoes on, babe," she stopped in her tracks, annoyed at the way the stone felt against her bare feet and dropped her heels to the ground. "Shit," she muttered, shaking her head. "I didn't mean to do that."

"I got it, I got it," Joker assured her, crouching down and waiting to lift her foot until he felt her hands on his shoulders. Once she was properly bracing herself, he slipped her heels on and buckled up the straps one by one, careful not to throw her off balance. "You're gonna drive in those?" He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly amused by the thought.

"Obviously," She huffed, waddling the rest of the way to the car. He was cackling beside her, supporting her in case she tripped – after all, she was extremely accident-prone and tripped all the time.

They got into the car and Jester grinned as she fixed the side mirrors, rearview mirror, the steering wheel, and her seat so that they were perfect for her. Once she strapped on her seat belt, she began playing with the different buttons and dials on the steering wheel and the dash, trying to figure out how to connect her phone to the car so she could play her music on the way to Giggles.

"Need help?" Joker mused, watching her with interest. He knew she was stubborn and she'd want to do it herself, but he could see that she was getting more and more irritated as the seconds passed and she still couldn't figure it out. They both startled when the back doors of the car opened and Tommy, Harley, and Catwoman slipped into the backseat.

"You're not test driving this bitch without us," Harley announced, sitting comfortably in the middle with her arms crossed over her chest. "No way!"

"Duh," Jester agreed, turning back to look at their new travel pals. "Who the hell else would I sing with?"

"I'm right here," Joker poked her in the arm, shooting her a playful glare.

"You don't sing with me," Jester teased, sticking her tongue out at him. "But they do!" She thrust her thumb back towards Harley, Tommy and Catwoman and Joker rolled his eyes.

Once Jester figured out the Bluetooth pairing for her phone, she set it all up and started scrolling through her phone for a good song. "So many choices," she muttered, ignoring everyone else in the car as they marveled over all of the options, buttons, extras, armrests and cup holders in the car.

"This thing is insane," Tommy observed, leaning forward and squinting at all the buttons, dials, and the screen on the dash and center console. "Holy fucking shit."

"It's a lot," Jester agreed, scanning over everything Tommy was looking at once more. "I'm sure I'll get used it to it all in time. Right now, I'm just thrilled about the Bluetooth, four-wheel drive, the backup camera, and the heated seats!"

Joker laughed, stroking her hair carefully. "So ya like it?"

"I love it," Jester breathed, leaning over to peck him on the cheek once more. "Let's go!"

With that, she selected a song and put the car in drive, testing the supercharger as she sped out of the driveway and down the back roads they lived off of.

"This is so unfair," Jester pouted, wiggling in Joker's lap. He chuckled, holding her in place so she didn't fall off.

"What's that?" He asked, shifting her so she was straddling him. He tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her face closer to his. At this point, they were the only ones in the booth. Harley and Catwoman were dancing in their usual cage behind the bar, Deadshot and Tommy were at the bar drinking and watching their girls closely, and Johnny was guarding the booth as usual. Poison Ivy was in her greenhouse as always, and Scarecrow was off to the side at the bar, drinking by himself and looking quite depressed.

"This is one of my favorite songs and I can't even dance to it 'cause I'm fucking pregnant," Jester whined, patting her belly for emphasis.

Joker chuckled, pulling her even closer. "You're still the sexiest thing I've ever seen," he purred, nipping at her exposed collarbone. "I'll play it for you all you want once you're ready to dance again."

"Good," Jester muttered, giving in and kissing him as the song played in the background.

"_I'm hot, sticky sweet_

_From my head to my feet, yeah_

_You got the peaches, I got the cream_

_Sweet to taste, saccharine_

_'Cause I'm hot, say what, sticky sweet_

_From my head, my head to my feet _

_Take a bottle, shake it up_

_Break the bubble, break it up_

_Pour some sugar on me_

_Ooh, in the name of love_

_Pour some sugar on me_

_Come on, fire me up_

_Pour your sugar on me_

_Oh, I can't get enough..." _

The kiss became frantic and heated and their hands began exploring each other's bodies desperately. It had been weeks since the last time they'd had sex – Joker refused, believing that he'd _'accidentally poke the baby'_ despite the many, many times Jester assured him that it wasn't possible. She was always hot and fired up for him, whenever she wasn't having another meltdown or 'tantrum', and he always refused her. It had been driving her insane and she attributed 90% of her sexual frustration to her violent mood swings and overall bitchiness.

She smirked against his crimson lips as she slipped a hand down between them, tugging at the waistband of his pants. She didn't say a word, nipping hard at his bottom lip when he tried to protest and unbuckled his belt. She worked quickly, unbuttoning and unzipping his fly and sticking her hand eagerly into his pants.

"Hey," he growled, gripping her hair tighter in his hands. "Don't you dare," he warned, giving her a malicious glare.

She laughed, leaning down and trailing kisses along his jawline and down his throat, ignoring his protests. "Just shut the fuck up," she whispered, pulling his pants and boxer briefs down as far as she could. She settled herself on top of him, teasingly rolling her hips against his and rubbing her wet center against his erection. "You know you want it."

"Not here, not like this," Joker groaned, wrenching her head back by her hair and biting her throat. "Now be a good girl and fix my pants."

"No," she argued, threading her fingers through his hair and grinding mercilessly against him. "I want you to fuck me right here, right now in this VIP booth."

"_God_," he snarled, sinking his teeth into the tender flesh where her neck met her shoulder. "I'm going to punish you for this, princess."

"Don't threaten me with a good time," Jester purred, teasingly dragging the tip of her tongue from the base of his throat to the skin just under his ear.

"Boss, there's som- oh," Johnny choked on his last word, quickly turning his back and coughing awkwardly into his sleeve. "Sorry, boss," he rushed out, screwing his eyes shut in his embarrassment.

"See?" Joker raised an eyebrow at Jester, gripping her by the throat. "This is why this can't happen here."

"You think I care?" Jester countered boldly, a wicked glint in her aqua eyes.

Joker made that half snarl, half purr noise she loved so much and he chuckled when he felt the new dampness in her panties against him. "Naughty little bitch," he growled, squeezing her throat just a little. "Fix Daddy's pants, sweetheart, or you won't get anything tonight."

"Yes sir," Jester whispered, licking her lips to further tease him. She quickly pulled his boxers and pants up and zipped and buttoned them back up, buckling his belt once she was done.

Joker motioned with his finger for her to turn around and she did as he bade, turning to the side and draping herself across his lap the way she always did. Once she was settled and comfortable and Joker had a moment to calm himself, he snapped his fingers to get Johnny's attention. "What is it?" He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice but it bled through in spite of him.

"Well, uh, you've got a visitor," Johnny stammered, avoiding eye contact. Jester giggled, reaching out and tapping Johnny on the arm.

"It's okay, Johnny boy, we're decent!" She grinned at the flushed man as he raised his head and caught her gaze.

"I know," he muttered, careful not to look at her too long. He knew Joker extremely well, and he knew that despite how loyal he was to Joker and how valuable he was, Joker would paint the walls with his brains in his current _mood _if he looked at Jester too long.

"Who?" Joker asked, leaning forward a little. He hadn't set any meetings for tonight so he couldn't figure out who would just pop by.

"That luchador from Arkham," Johnny answered, folding his hands in front of him. "Says he's got some information you'd be interested in."

Joker let his head fall back against the cushions of the booth, groaning when Jester took the opportunity to nip at his exposed throat and lick his 'Property of Jester' tattoo. "Alright, Johnny boy. Take my girl here to the office upstairs and then send the big boy to me."

"Hey, no way!" Jester snapped, nipping hard at his throat to make a point. "Don't you dare lock me up in there!"

"Jester," he hissed, snapping his head forward and glaring at her. "You are pregnant, princess. I need you upstairs where it's safe."

"No," Jester refused, crossing her arms over her belly. "Besides, he helped us during the breakout and he calls me _Jefa. _There's nothing to worry about."

"I don't care if he calls you _Jefa, Reina, Diosa, _or the Queen of god damn England," Joker argued. "I want you upstairs."

"It's my god damn birthday, J," Jester spat, angry tears pricking at her eyes.

"Oh god, you're gonna cry, ain't ya?" Joker groaned into his hands, violently raking his hands through his hair. "Fine, _fine," _he conceded, putting his hands up in surrender. "I don't want tonight going badly. I don't need you pissed off at me tonight."

He ignored the satisfied, smug grin on Jester's face and motioned to Johnny to bring Bane to his booth.

Bane didn't even have to speak to announce his presence – Joker and Jester both knew he was there once the floor stopped shaking.

"_Mortifera!" _Bane's voice boomed over the music, his chuckle shaking the booth as he sat down. He looked like his usual self again – his color was back, his muscles were veiny and bulging, and he looked terrifying. He had his luchador mask on and what looked like a backpack strapped to him with tubes of glowing green liquid that seemed to go right into the nape of his neck. "Oh," his eyes bulged as he finally noticed her belly. "You are _giving_ life now?"

"That's none of your god damn concern," Joker barked, wrapping his arms protectively around Jester.

Jester rolled her eyes and huffed. "Yes, Bane. I'm pregnant. Don't mind J – he's as moody as I am lately." She winked at Bane and they both shared a chuckle.

Joker, however, didn't find it funny and quickly pulled a gun. He aimed it between Bane's eyes, glowering at the giant man. "You say a word to anyone and I'll kill ya," he threatened, not even flinching or blinking once.

Bane laughed, leaning back in the booth with his arms thrown over the back of it. "I wouldn't harm _La Jefa _or the _ni__ñ__o_. You worry too much, Clown."

"What do you want?" Joker cut right to the chase, ignoring Bane's comment about his worrying.

"Not even going to offer me a drink or engage in small talk first, _Cabrón_?

Jester ran her hands through her hair and sighed, reaching forward and carefully wrenching the gun out of Joker's hand. She ignored his growl of disapproval and gave Bane a small smile. "What brings you to see us, _Jefe?"_

Bane grinned at her and tilted his head. "I have some interesting news of my own. I have Doctor Leland in my possession."

Joker leaned forward, keeping a secure hold on Jester as he regarded Bane. "Excellent," he growled, a wide grin spreading across his pale face. "I suppose you're here to collect the reward, then?"

Bane glanced at Jester, returning his attention to Joker as he answered. "No, clown. Call it even. I owed you a favor and I'm giving you the Doctor for free."

"This isn't the favor I had in mind, has-Bane," Joker argued, glaring at the bigger man. "I was thinking more along the lines of calling you in for breakout assistance or maybe to distract the Batman in the future."

Jester groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "Men and their god damn pride," she muttered.

"Let's say I keep the Doctor," Bane proposed, leaning forward in his seat. "Then I still owe you a favor, yes?"

Joker nodded, eyeing Bane carefully.

"You are planning something," Bane prodded, giving Joker a knowing look. "Whatever it is, you will need assistance from myself and my men, yes?"

Joker ran his tongue over his teeth and growled low in his throat. "I'm the Joker, _Luchador_. I don't have time for _plans._"

"You are a bad liar, _payaso. _Whatever you are planning, I want in on it."

"Johnny!" Jester whined, wriggling out of Joker's lap and sliding into the booth next to him. Johnny came quickly, crouching down to face her but careful not to turn his back to Bane.

"What can I get ya, kid?" Johnny smiled at her, reaching out and taking the hand she offered to him.

"What's wrong, princess?" Joker asked, not taking his eyes off of Bane.

Bane chuckled, shaking his head. "_La Reina _is tired, Joker. She wants to go home and sleep."

"Shut up!" Joker snapped, scowling at the man.

"Both of you shut the fuck up," Jester barked, beyond irritated with the back and forth between them. "Johnny, I wanna go home. Can ya drive me, please?"

Johnny looked to Joker and Jester cleared her throat to get his attention. "I don't give a shit what he says, Johnny boy. I just wanna go home."

"Littlest clown," Scarecrow's voice soothed Jester. The irritated expression on her face faded away only to be replaced with one of pure joy as she reached her arms out to Scarecrow as a small child would to their parent. Scarecrow chuckled, stroking her hair with one hand and using the other to pull her up. "I will take you," he assured her, successfully hiding the pain in his voice and his eyes.

"Jester," Joker was serious, she didn't even need to hear the tone of his voice to know it. He only ever really called her by her name like that when it was important or he was angry with her. She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, dear?" She sounded as irritated as she looked.

"I had something – I wanted to... uh, never mind. I'll see you at home." He was wringing his hands in his lap and she furrowed her eyebrows at him, not buying the nonchalant act he was trying to pull off.

"What's going on?" Jester asked, tapping him roughly on the shoulder to get his attention.

Joker grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it, squeezing it before releasing her. "Nothing, princess. Go home and get all tucked in." He gave Bane a pointed look. "I'll be home _soon_."

She didn't buy it, but she leaned down and kissed his cheek anyway before letting Scarecrow escort her towards the first floor and the back door.

* * *

"You get to drive my new car!" She was so excited, rocking back and forth as she patiently waited for Scarecrow to unlock the car and help her into the passenger seat.

"I suppose I do," he was quieter than usual, avoiding her eyes at all costs. Jester noticed it and frowned at him as he started the car up and began slowly pulling away from the club.

"Why are you so sad today?" Jester asked, looking right at him and studying his face. She knew something was on his mind and it was bothering him and she wanted to see if he'd lie to her.

"Sad? I'm not sad. I'm just tired, my dear." He kept a straight face, staring straight ahead at the road and still avoiding her eyes.

"You just lied to me," Jester said coolly, folding her arms over her belly. "Must be pretty fucked up if you have to lie to me."

"Jester, don't do this," Scarecrow pleaded, still not looking at her. He was driving the exact speed limit as he always did, trying to avoid detection and making it easier to notice if they were being followed.

"Don't do what? I asked you why you're sad today. Something's up with you. You've been quieter than usual, you've been distant towards _me, _and you won't even look at me. Now you're lying to me. What the fuck is going on with you?"

Scarecrow sighed, pulling off into a little dirt path on the side of the road. He turned the lights off so passersby wouldn't notice them and gripped the steering wheel tight in both hands, still avoiding Jester's piercing gaze. "I'm leaving," he murmured, still staring straight ahead.

"You're leaving?" Jester repeated, prodding him to clarify it for her.

"Yes, Jester. I'm going to be leaving. I didn't want to do it today since it's your birthday. It's just not working for me – living in a house with everyone in the woods, keeping my lab in a basement, dealing with all the craziness all the time. I like to be alone. I'll be going back to my old place tomorrow morning."

"You're lying to me again," Jester snapped, glaring at him. "Tell me the truth, Craney."

"I can't," he hissed, finally looking at her. His eyes were a little glassy and Jester narrowed her eyes at him, studying his face closely.

"Why not? You know things about me other people don't. You've seen sides of me that other people haven't. You know the _real _me. How could you ever hide something from me and lie to me? It hurts that you feel like you can't talk to me about whatever is bothering you."

Scarecrow raked a hand through his hair and groaned, quickly exiting the car and shutting the door behind him. Jester watched him as he paced in front of the car like a madman, arguing with himself and cussing. Jester knew it was a terrible thing to do, but she knew exactly how to make him talk. She rolled her window down and snapped her fingers, drawing his attention.

"Hey Craney," she singsonged innocently, batting her eyelashes at him. "What's got you so _afraid?_"

"I am not afraid," he argued, narrowing his eyes at her. "That's not going to work."

"Another lie," she sighed dramatically, letting her head fall back against her seat. "How ironic – the master of fear becoming a victim of it."

"Stop that," Scarecrow warned, glaring at her. He had stopped pacing and Jester knew she was getting to him.

"I mean, it's okay. I won't tell anyone that something is scaring the big, bad boogeyman. Do you want one of my rosaries? It might make you feel... _safe._"

"Enough," he ground out through clenched teeth, slowly creeping towards the passenger side of the car.

"Don't worry, Craney. I'll keep this between us. Nobody will ever know that the scaredy-crow is a scaredy-cat." She grinned wickedly at him, pure evil glittering in her aqua eyes.

"Jester..." it was his last warning and she knew it, but she wasn't the type to ever back down or be intimidated. She knew if she pushed him far enough, he'd spill his guts.

"You're not afraid of clowns, are ya?" She gasped dramatically, bringing her hands to her face and covering her mouth. "Oh my god, you're scared of clowns! Whatever shall I do?! You're trapped in a car with a clown! It's a _clown car! _Oh, the_ HORROR!" _

"Dammit, woman," Scarecrow seethed, coming closer.

Before Jester could even process what was happening, Scarecrow was gently cupping her face in both of his hands and kissing her right on the lips. He wasn't aggressive about it – he was polite. His kiss was soft and sweet, not demanding and passionate, and he put all of his heart into it. Jester's eyes were wide open in shock and she sat rigidly in her seat, not knowing what to do. It bothered her that she didn't mind the kiss she could almost say she was enjoying it. She shook the thoughts out of her head and broke the kiss, pulling back from Scarecrow and bringing her fingers to her lips.

"Are you happy now, Jester?" he whispered, wiping his mouth and storming over to the driver's side of the car. He got back in and began driving, the two of them not saying another word to each other the entire way back to the mansion.

* * *

"I don't want her involved in any of it," Joker narrowed his eyes at Bane.

"Of course," Bane agreed. "She is a mother now – she shouldn't be."

"This is all hypothetical, Bane," Joker reminded him.

"Of course."

"I'll call a meeting in a month or so. In the meantime, give Doctor Leland my regards." Joker cackled as he stood from his seat, tucking his gun back into his holster. "Give her Ivy's, too. Bitch was sticking Ivy with something nasty every day in Arkham."

"I can only imagine," Bane shook his head. "You saw what the _puta _did to me."

Joker nodded, scanning the club once more before pulling his keys from his pocket. "Stay as long as you like, big guy. Just don't draw the rodent's attention."

Bane laughed. "Get home to _Mortifera,_ I'm sure she's waiting for you to do or say whatever it was that you wouldn't in front of me."

Joker rolled his eyes and strolled out of the VIP, making a beeline for the back door on the ground floor. He growled when he remembered he came with Jester, noticing that the Range Rover was gone.

"I got it, boss," Johnny called, quickly making his way to the black SUV they all used. He waited for Joker to get in before taking off towards the mansion, going as fast as he could knowing Joker just wanted to get home to Jester.

* * *

When he finally reached the master bedroom and opened the door, he found her curled up in bed and wide awake. She was wearing his t-shirt, as always, and was snuggled up with her marble elephant. He didn't say a word, sensing that something was bothering her, and quickly stripped off all of his clothes except for his boxer briefs. He made his way around the room, turning off all the lights and turning on the television, setting up Netflix for her since he knew she liked to fall asleep watching something, and finally slipped into bed. He pulled her as close to him as he could and gently swept her hair away from her face and neck, softly kissing every inch of exposed skin that he could reach.

"Did you have a good birthday?" He whispered, stroking her side and her belly with his fingertips.

She nodded, not saying anything. She just closed her eyes and curled up into a tighter ball, clutching her elephant to her chest.

"Talk to me," he prodded, nipping at the nape of her neck.

"Interesting choice of words," she retorted coldly, keeping her back to him.

He sighed, running his tongue over his teeth. "Princess, it wasn't the right time or place. I'm not hiding anything from you."

"My ass," she spat, inching away from him.

"Jester."

"Leave me alone."

"_Jester."_

"No, you don't get to just hide shit from me and decide to tell me when _you _feel like it."

"Ridiculous," he muttered, slipping out of bed and looking for his pants. He forgot he had slipped the ring back into his pants pocket. He knew Jester would sit on his lap so he had tucked the box into his inside jacket pocket, hoping she'd think it was a gun, a knife, or anything else. Once she left, he tucked it back into his pant pocket. He pulled the box out and opened it, staring at the ring for a moment before plucking it out of the box and letting the box fall to the floor. He hid the ring inside his fist and slipped back into bed, trying with his free hand to turn Jester to face him. As he expected, she refused.

"I just want to go to sleep, okay?" She sounded miserable. He knew she had ridiculous, unpredictable mood swings during her pregnancy but this one was a bit odd – this was one hell of an overreaction to something so simple. He wondered what was going on inside her head and upsetting her.

"Songbird," he whispered, trying once more to get her attention. "Please."

"What?" She snapped, finally turning to face him. Her eyes were red and puffy, fresh tears rolling out of them. Joker wiped them away with his thumb and kissed her softly, settling down a little when she finally relaxed into the kiss and returned it. He used her distraction to his advantage and opened his eyes, taking a good look at her left hand and carefully singling out her ring finger. He deepened the kiss, brushing his tongue against her lower lip and slipping it into her mouth when she parted her lips for him. As soon as she was completely lost in the kiss, he carefully slipped the ring onto her finger, taking a second look to make sure he put it on the right one. Once he was sure, he closed his eyes and kissed her like he never had before, putting every ounce of love and passion that he could into it.

She tugged at the waistband of his boxer briefs and he groaned into her mouth, rolling them so he was underneath her. "Feeling frisky, are ya?" he teased, licking his lips at her.

She was feral at that moment, her eyes darkening and a malicious grin on her face. She bit her bottom lip and yanked his boxer briefs off, lowering herself onto him and grinding against him just like she did at the club. Her hands were splayed across his bare chest and he grinned, amused that she hadn't noticed the big, black gold ring on her finger.

"Whatcha gonna do to me, princess?" His voice was low and husky and it drove her wild. She clawed at his chest, sucking in a sharp breath when he moaned for her. He reached a hand up and wrapped it around her throat, choking her mildly. "Take these off," he commanded, tugging at the waistband of her panties.

"I love it when you tell me what to do," Jester whispered, doing exactly as he said. She slid her panties off and straddled him, teasing him with her wet folds.

"Do you?" Joker teased, choking her a little harder. She nodded and he chuckled, yanking her head down so they were face to face. "Good girl," he growled, nipping at her throat.

She moaned and rolled her hips against him, wanting him to impale her. "Do you want this?" He asked, lining himself up at her entrance.

"Yes, baby," she whispered, flicking her tongue against his finger as he traced her lips with it.

"Then do something for me first." He grasped her left hand in his free hand and laced their fingers together, resting their clasped hands on his chest. "Look at your left hand, Songbird."

She did. She gasped when she finally noticed the ring on her finger, tears immediately cascading down her cheeks. "What? When? _How_ did you do this?"

"Magic," he teased, grinning at her. "Do ya like it?"

"Do I _like_ it? I _love_ it, J!" She stared at the ring in awe, not even caring that she was half-naked and crying on top of Joker. The ring was 14k black gold with a 1-carat princess-cut Amethyst stone in the center, and two ½ carat princess cut Emeralds on either side of it. It fit her finger perfectly which made her wonder if he just got lucky on the size or if he had measured her finger somehow. After a few moments of gawking, it finally hit her – this was an _engagement ring. _

Her panicked, wide eyes met his and he tensed up, reaching up to thread his fingers through her curls. "Jester, relax. I'm not asking. That's not what this is. I know you don't want to be married, and that's fine with me. You _are _about to become the mother of my child, so I wanted you to have something nice."

"So you're _not _asking?" She was staring him right in the eye, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"No, I'm not," he assured her, massaging her scalp with his fingers.

"Okay," there was no emotion in her tone and he couldn't tell what she was thinking or how she was feeling. All he knew was that it wasn't a good thing. He knew it was bad when she rolled off of him and curled back up with her elephant, pulling the blankets over her and closing her eyes. "Thank you for everything," she muttered.

"Anything for you," he whispered, keeping his distance from her as he tried to fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning was hell on earth. Joker woke up after a night of intermittent sleep and Jester was nowhere to be found. She wasn't in bed, she wasn't in the bathroom, she wasn't anywhere in the house, she wasn't on the back deck or in the yard and her Range Rover and the dogs were gone.

"**WHERE IS SHE?**" His voice ripped through the house, chilling everyone to the bone.

Scarecrow came downstairs, leaving his packed suitcases hidden in his closet for the moment. He found Joker in the kitchen, smashing every single chair into pieces with his bare hands. He pulled his gun from the waistband of his pants and whorled on Scarecrow, startled by his appearance in the room. Scarecrow said nothing and simply put up his hands in surrender, keeping a safe distance from the black-eyed, distraught clown.

"She's gone," Joker whispered, collapsing to his knees on the kitchen floor. "She's just _gone._"

It took everything Scarecrow had in him not to collapse just like Joker did. He made his way to the kitchen island and took a seat on one of the stools, staring out into the backyard through the little kitchen window.

Both men sat in the kitchen for hours silently blaming themselves for Jester's disappearance, neither of them aware of everything that transpired the night before.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's. **

* * *

**Author's Note: **

I know there are a ton of different versions of each of these characters in the DCU and DCEU, so I figured I'd give you guys better visuals on the portrayals of the Rogues I'm using for this story. This is just for cosmetic purposes - how they **look** in my mind as I write these chapters. As far as their personalities, quips, and dialogue goes, I get it from every single movie, cartoon, Akham video game, the Batman Telltale Series: The Enemy Within game, and some of it is also just my crazy little brain. You'll see some key quotes and phrases made by each of them that you may recognize here and there - little gems I'll be dropping to pay homage.

Hope these help – and if you haven't seen any of these or don't remember, **YouTube** is a great source. I am obsessed with Batman the Telltale Series' portrayal of the Joker as 'John Doe'. Check it out, it's pretty great to watch his transformation.

* * *

**Joker: **Suicide Squad _(with bits of the Arkham video game series and Batman The Telltale Series: The Enemy Within for his personality/quips)_

**Harley: **Suicide Squad

**Deadshot: **Suicide Squad

**Scarecrow: **Batman Begins & The Dark Knight (**Scarebeast:** Injustice 2)

**Poison Ivy: **Arkham Series Video Games – Arkham City

**Catwoman: **Batman the Telltale Series: The Enemy Within

**Riddler: **Batman Forever

**Two-Face: **Batman Forever

**Killer Croc: **Arkham Series Video Games

**Bane: **Arkham Series Video Games & Batman the Telltale Series: The Enemy Within

**Mad Hatter: **Arkham Series Video Games

**Ventriloquist: **Animated Series

**Ra's Al Ghul: **Arkham Series Video Games & Animated Series

**Clayface: **Arkham Video Games Series

* * *

After brooding in the kitchen for a couple of hours and having a cup of coffee, Joker returned to the master bedroom to take a shower. He was waiting on a phone call from someone – _anyone –_ who spotted Jester. Catwoman and Harley had taken to the rooftops in Gotham, searching the city from above while Deadshot and Tommy trolled the streets in the Grand National. Scarecrow had taken the black SUV with Johnny, checking out highways and roads leading out of Gotham and towards other cities like Metropolis and Blüdhaven. Half of Joker's henchmen from the Funhouse – sans Penguin's freaks – were spread out all across the city from the Tricorner Yards to the Robert Kane Memorial Bridge, all being careful not to cross the bridge to Wayne Manor. Poison Ivy was listening to the flora in Gotham, hoping to pick up on whispers of Jester's movements throughout the city, but hadn't heard a thing as of yet.

Joker had considered calling in the favor Bane owed him and having him scour the city for her along with his own men, but he didn't trust the hulking luchador to bring her back home. His Madness had receded at some point in the kitchen as he sat at the island sipping his coffee, barking orders to his men on the phone for the better part of half an hour. He knew if he let the Madness continue to control him, he'd end up hunting Jester down and hurting her. A huge part of him wanted to hop in his Lamborghini and burn the entire city to the ground to draw her out, but the little voice in the back of his mind insisted it would only do more harm than good – and it would certainly draw more than just Jester's attention. He couldn't afford any scuffles with the Batman, Jim Gordon, Nightwing, Batgirl, or that little bastard Robin so he tamped down his rage and focused on getting dressed instead.

He put on a black silk button up, tucking it into his white and black pinstriped suit pants. For once, he had his entire shirt buttoned up. He slipped on a white and black pinstriped waistcoat, buttoning it up carefully and finishing it all off with a pair of his best black alligator skin oxfords and a blood red tie. "Just like dear ol' Ugly Face," he mused to himself, cackling at his resemblance to Black Mask. It was fitting to have a suit like Black Mask's – he's the one who killed him, took over his empire and all of his henchmen that survived the fallout.

He smeared his usual red lip stain on along with the black smudge he liked to use for his eyes and smoothed his hair back with some product Jester had gotten for him long ago. He hated to admit it, but it worked perfectly and made his hair a lot softer and less greasy looking and he liked it. The thought of her made him angry and sad all at the same time, making him growl in frustration. He startled slightly when he felt something slithering along his left arm, wrapping around it and tapping at his face. He lowered his gaze and caught sight of the thick, gnarled vine and his eyes bulged. It was Ivy, and it meant she knew something. He all but ran to the greenhouse, stalking his way up to her Venus flytrap as soon as he was inside. "Cell phones," he pulled his out of his pocket and waved it at her, "are normally what people use to contact each other."

Poison Ivy sauntered out of her shelter, rolling her eyes at him. "Exactly, Joker. You forget I'm not entirely human."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he growled, waving her off. "Whatcha got for me?"

"The flora are telling me she's in the cemetery," Poison Ivy explained, looking thoughtful. Joker knew that look – she was listening. "The newer section, I believe."

"Thanks, Red," Joker flashed her a grin before making his way out of the greenhouse and towards his Lamborghini, wasting no time getting in and speeding towards the cemetery in Gotham City.

Poison Ivy sighed, settling back into her Venus flytrap and manipulating the plants around Jester to grow tiger lilies for her – after all, they were Jester's favorite. She knew Jester was more than likely hurting since she had run away and was currently in the cemetery. She didn't care for many people – she didn't care for humans as a whole, really – but she cared very much for the little clown that fought for the innocent and didn't tolerate injustices of any kind. The little clown who was always kind to her and treated her as a friend – something most people never did anymore, aside from Selina and Harls. She knew Jester would be safe in the company of the flora in the meantime, focusing her attention and manipulations on the greenery surrounding her friend in case anything happened to her.

* * *

Joker's eyes were glued to Jester once he found her. He was sitting in his Lamborghini, hidden from her view behind a cluster of trees. He didn't want to approach her yet – the Madness was clawing at him, trying to take control and he didn't want to hurt her in a blind rage. He also wanted to keep watching her for a little while before ruining her moment – she was laying down on a particular grave, her head propped up against the stone as she sang to her belly. He could tell, even at this distance, that she had been crying and was extremely distressed. Her eyes were puffy and red, her makeup was smeared down her cheeks, and her hair was a mess.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to Johnny, Tommy, Deadshot, Scarecrow, Harley, and Catwoman to let them know he found Jester and to call off the search and the other henchmen. He'd rather have his henchmen back at the Funhouse babysitting Doctor Mills and fixing up all the old traps he had set up throughout the grounds and rides, and he wanted the others back at the Mansion and out of the public eye where they'd draw the Bat Family's attention.

He finally felt rational and calm enough to get out of the car, moving as slowly and quietly as he could so he didn't startle or interrupt her. He loved the sound of her voice, something that would never change as long as he lived, and it was helping to keep his Madness at bay as he came closer to her.

"_... Daddy made me fight_

_It wasn't always right_

_But he said 'Girl, it's your second amendment'_

_He always played it cool_

_But Daddy was no fool_

_And right before he died he said 'Remember,'_

_He said 'Take care of your mother,_

_Watch out for your sister,'_

_That's when Daddy looked at me_

_With his gun, with his head held high,_

_He told me not to cry,_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_With his right hand on his rifle,_

_He swore it on the Bible,_

_My Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_'Cause he held me in his arms_

_And he taught me to be strong_

_And he told me when he's gone_

_'Here's what you do,_

_When trouble comes in town,_

_And men like me come around,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_My Daddy warned me about men like you_

_He said 'Baby girl, he's playing you,_

_He's playing you,'_

_My Daddy warned me about men like you_

_He said 'Baby girl he's playing you,_

_He's playing you,_

_'Cause when trouble comes in town_

_And men like me come around,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'_

_Oh, my Daddy said 'Shoot,'..." _

"What do we have here?" Joker purred, crouching a few feet away from her, his icy gaze pinning her where she sat. "Are you enjoying your uh... _adventure?_"

Jester sighed, wiping her face before meeting his gaze. "I needed some time, J. I needed to get out of that house – I was suffocating."

"You, uh... you didn't leave a note or anything. One might think you were trying to run away again." He narrowed his eyes at her, still fighting his Madness back down.

Jester noticed the split-second flash of black in his eyes and inhaled sharply, trying to pull herself up a little. She struggled, in too awkward of a position to sit upright and flinched when Joker's hands hooked under her arms. He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing, pulling her up gently until she was propped up comfortably against what he realized was her father's headstone. He smoothed his hand over the top of the stone, reading it carefully before sitting beside Jester, grasping her left hand in his. He was happy to see she was still wearing the ring he had given her, giving him hope that maybe she'd stay with him after his disaster of a 'proposal' the night before.

"Jester," he cleared his throat and licked his lips, not sure exactly what to say to remedy the stupid shit he said to her the night before. "Are ya leaving me?"

"That's what I came here to think about," she answered honestly, staring down at their pale hands. "Last night fucking sucked."

Joker chuckled, running his free hand through his hair. "I was never any good with romantic gestures," he mused.

"That's not true," she argued, looking up at him. "You've done plenty of romantic things for me in all these months – even when we were in Arkham, in your own twisted way." She laced their fingers together and rested her head on his shoulder, allowing herself to relax into him despite how terrified she was that he could snap at any moment.

"Sure, but when it mattered the most, I let you down," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I hurt you."

"You did," she admitted, biting her bottom lip. "I felt... I _feel _rejected. It's not just last night, J... last night just kind of put the icing on the cake."

He lifted her chin with his finger and looked her in the eye, studying her expression. "I would _never_ reject you," he purred, planting a soft kiss to her lips. "I've told you time and time again that you are _mine_, that I'd always find you, that I only want you. Tell me what I've done – what I've said – to show you otherwise."

"Why are you being so nice to me? I was expecting you to drag me through all nine fucking circles of Hell." Jester tucked her head under his chin, trying to calm the anxiety attack slowly creeping up on her.

Joker sighed and ran his fingers through her messy hair, careful not to get his fingers caught in any of the knots. "I was gonna," he admitted. "But I uh... I took some time to _cool off. _Then you were right here in front of me, singing, and I couldn't be angry anymore."

Jester chuckled, a small smile creeping into her face. "What did you break? How many people have you killed?"

"We need new kitchen chairs," he laughed, stroking the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb. "Good thing you eat your meals in bed."

"I liked those chairs," Jester sighed, shaking her head.

"As ironic as this will be for me to say..." Joker carefully pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around her. "That's enough with the jokes. I wanna know how badly I've fucked this up."

"You're never home anymore, J. You're at the club every single night, all night long from open to close. I'm always stuck in the house, in so much fucking pain I can't sleep, and I'm alone most of the time." She pressed a finger to his lips when he tried to speak, silencing him. "You don't touch me like you used to... you refuse to have sex with me and have since my belly began showing. It feels like you're not even attracted to me anymore – like you'd rather be at Giggles than at home with me. Then last night happened... you give me this ring and tell me twice that it's not a proposal. In other words, you basically told me you're never marrying me. It was more of a rejection than anything, and it hurt so bad. You made it seem like you only gave it to me because I'm having your child."

Joker groaned and let his head fall back against the headstone. "Fuck," he muttered, running his tongue over his teeth. "I _really _fucked this up, huh?" Jester nodded against his chest and he frowned. "Listen, doll face. None of that is true. You wanna know why I'm not touching you as much or fucking your brains out?" He waited until she lifted her head to look at him and gave her a small smile, cupping her face in his hands. "I don't wanna hurt ya, toots. You just said it – you're in a lot of pain all the time. You're a tiny little thing with a baby inside you growing twice as fast as it normally should, the last thing I wanna do is cause ya more pain. I don't touch ya as much 'cause I don't want things to escalate. As for the club – I'm there to watch over things and conduct business, baby. Ain't easy being me, ya know." They both shared a chuckle at that and he felt relief wash over him like a tidal wave.

"If ya think I really don't wanna marry ya, you're crazier than _me. _I talked to Tommy before I gave the ring to ya. I wouldn't do that if I didn't have certain uh... _ideas. _I only said what I said so I didn't scare ya off – you always said ya never wanted to get married. I wasn't aware that you changed your mind." His expression softened and Jester ran a hand through his hair, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

"I didn't know any of that," she confessed. "I thought you just didn't love me anymore."

Joker burst out laughing, the rumble of it vibrating in his chest and soothing Jester. "Now _that's _crazy, little bird. Maybe we should get your head checked."

"Shut up," Jester laughed with him, jamming a finger into his ribs. "Can I have a few more minutes here?"

"Of course," Joker whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Did ya see Ivy's little gift for ya?"

"What gift?"

"Look around you."

Jester lifted her head and did as Joker said, taking a sweep of her surroundings and grinning like a madwoman when she noticed all of the tiger lilies surrounding her. "Holy shit," she breathed, fighting back the urge to pluck one out of the ground... she knew an action like that would make Ivy furious.

"She's the one that found ya."

"Found me?"

"Do you forget who I am, toots? I had everybody out trying to find ya. Harls and the kitty cat were runnin' themselves ragged on rooftops all across the city lookin' for ya."

"Shit," Jester muttered, shaking her head. "They're all gonna be so pissed at me."

"If they haven't gotten pissed about your ridiculous mood swings and all the crying you do, I doubt this will aggravate them." Joker caught her hand as she moved to smack his arm, kissing her palm affectionately. "Take some time with your old man. I'll be over by the car."

"You can stay," Jester whispered, nestling back into his chest. "I'm sure he doesn't mind."

Joker howled with laughter, letting his head fall back. "Are you kiddin'? The old man would _kill me _for knockin' ya up, let alone everything else that has transpired between us."

"I have a feeling he'd be alright with it," Jester smiled, planting soft kisses along his throat. "Besides, you're a hell of a lot better than my piece of shit brother in law."

"Now _that, _baby, is somethin' we can agree on."

Joker sat quietly with her, letting her relax in his arms and scanned the cemetery, realizing there was no sign of the dogs anywhere.

"Uh, sweetheart... where are the pups?"

"They're here," Jester mused. "They're guarding me. You can't see 'em?"

Joker shook his head, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the cemetery once more.

Jester snapped her fingers, grinning in amusement when she heard and felt the thundering of both dogs' paws as they ran towards the pair of clowns.

Joker was impressed – both dogs had jumped down from a pretty high branch in a tree not even 10 feet away from where they sat. They had been up there the entire time, completely hidden by the foliage and branches. "Now _that _is impressive," he admitted, ruffling both dogs' ears as they came closer. "Good pups, takin' care of their mama."

Both dogs wiggled in excitement, basking in the attention as he rubbed their ears and bellies, grinning at them. They sat there like that for awhile longer until Jester was ready to go, just enjoying the peace and quiet and the time outside the house together.

"You alright to drive, princess?" Joker noticed the dark circles under her eyes and worried she'd crash on her way back to the mansion.

"I'm fine, baby. I've got the dogs with me anyway – they're precious cargo, I gotta be careful whether I want to or not." She smiled and pat both dogs on the head, cooing at them.

"You're precious cargo, too," Joker reminded her. He placed both hands on her belly and kissed her forehead, "So is this little guy."

"I know," she assured him, climbing into the Range Rover as he ushered the dogs into the backseat.

"I'll be right behind ya," he grinned at her and made his way to his Lamborghini once she was securely strapped into her seat and locked in the car. He waited for her to begin pulling off before following her, making sure they weren't being followed the entire way back to the Mansion.

* * *

"Hold still," Joker commanded, rinsing the shampoo out of Jester's hair. "Don't wanna burn those pretty eyes of yours."

They were in the spa tub together enjoying a nice soak. Joker did his best trying to measure out the right amount of bath salts and bubble bath and ended up putting in too much of both, not leaving enough time for the salts to fully dissolve before helping Jester into the tub. She had laughed about it, swirling the water around and running some more hot water to help the salts dissolve so they weren't sitting on them anymore, much to Joker's relief. He was being gentle and thorough with her, lightly scrubbing every single inch of her skin and peppering her face and neck with kisses every now and then.

Jester grinned at him, scooping up some bubbles and giving him a bubble mustache and beard with thick eyebrows. "You look like the Colonel," she laughed, trying and failing to dodge the splash he assaulted her with. She slowly backed away from him, noticing the evil flashing in his eyes and kept a good distance. She watched him carefully as he slowly crept up on her like a shark, a wicked grin stretched across his face.

"Naughty, naughty," he purred, swiftly pinning her back against the edge of the tub with his arms on either side of her. "Now say you're sorry."

"Never!" She hissed dramatically, giving him her fiercest look. She giggled when he leaned down and nipped at her shoulder, flicking his tongue against the 'J' he had carved into her chest so long ago.

"So feisty," he whispered, sending chills down her spine. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, leaning her head back as he kissed his way from the base of her throat to her jaw. "Looks like I'll have to teach ya a lesson."

"Is that a fact?" She countered, licking her lips at him.

"I'm a man of my word." He carefully pulled her off of him and climbed out of the tub, waggling his eyebrows at her when he caught her staring at him. "Like what ya see, toots?"

"Get me out of this tub," Jester demanded, reaching her hands out for him.

Joker chuckled, reaching into the tub and pulling her out with ease, cradling her in his arms. He groaned when she ran her tongue up the column of his throat, clawing at his chest with her right hand. "Keep that up and I'll fuck you so hard I'll force you into premature labor." His cock was already stiff and standing at attention, throbbing painfully with his arousal.

"Not like I'd mind... pregnancy _sucks." _

Joker laughed, tossing her gently onto the bed and climbing on top of her. "I guess that means you're gonna hate me when I put another one inside ya." Before Jester could retort, his lips were on hers, effectively silencing and distracting her with a bruising, frenzied kiss. He spread her legs apart with his knee and groaned when she threaded her fingers in his hair, tugging it hard. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, locking her ankles together, making him growl into her mouth.

He rolled his hips against hers and she moaned, digging her nails into his bare shoulders. "Oh, baby," he growled, sinking his teeth into her throat and breaking the skin. She hissed and moaned, bucking her hips and raking her nails down his back. He ran his tongue along the bite mark at the base of her throat and licked up the droplets of blood that had seeped from it, soothing her skin with a soft kiss. His cock twitched when he looked at the bite mark – bright red, raw, angry, and definitely not fading any time soon. He chuckled as she grabbed him by the hair, roughly yanking his head to the side and exposing his throat. "Do it," he hissed, meeting her lust-filled eyes right before she sunk her teeth into him, breaking the skin. "Good girl," he crooned, cupping the back of her head in one hand, using the other to trail his fingers along her wet slit. "Tell me what you want, baby," he whispered, teasing her slick folds with the tips of his fingers. "Say it, say it... _say it_."

She ignored him – kissing, licking, sucking, and nipping at the skin on his throat, shoulders, and chest. He made his half-growl, half-purring noise and grinned when she bit his 'Property of Jester' tattoo in response. She was wetter now, her arousal leaking onto his fingers and down her thighs. He withdrew his hand and rubbed his cock against her, moaning softly when he felt her wetness coating him. He positioned himself at her entrance, pushing only slightly and teasing her with it. "Say it!" he snarled. She raked her nails violently down his back, drawing blood and he hissed in pleasure. "I want _you_, J," she finally whispered into his shoulder. "_Please..._"

"I'm not gonna be gentle, baby," he warned her. "This might hurt ya." She was nibbling at his collarbone and he threw his head back, exposing his throat to her. "Bite," he commanded, waiting for her teeth to sink into his skin before impaling her in one swift movement. She screamed as he entered her, sinking her teeth deeper into his throat and drawing blood. He grabbed her hips, thrusting harder into her until he was buried to the hilt inside her. "Fuck!" he yelled, pushing even further, desperately trying to fill her up as much as possible. "You're so fucking _tight, _princess_,_" he didn't care if everyone heard them, he was going to fuck her as hard as he could, and he was going to make her scream.

She was whimpering a little as she finally released his throat from her teeth, letting her head fall back against the pillows. He yanked her head back by her hair and kissed her softly as he began to fuck her, his thrusts slow and deliberate. "You alright, princess?" he whispered, tilting her chin up and looking into her pretty aqua eyes. He continued to fuck her, slow and easy, aware of all the pain he had probably just caused her. It had been quite a long time for them both and she was as tight as the first time he fucked her. He knew he was probably wreaking havoc on her insides – stretching her all over again.

She nodded and pecked him quickly on the lips. "Just hurts a little, J," she whispered, and he nodded. "I know, baby. I'll make it all better." He licked the pad of his thumb and grinned at her as he slipped his hand between them, slowly rubbing circles against her clit with his thumb. He felt her muscles begin to tighten around him, and fucked her a little faster as he rubbed her clit. "Cum for me, little bird," his husky voice and ministrations on her were driving her closer to her orgasm. Her muscles clamped tighter around him and he groaned, pulling almost completely out of her before slamming back into her. Her legs began to shake around him and he kept up his pace, knowing she was on the edge of release. "Oh, that's it, baby! Cum for Daddy!" As soon as the words left his mouth, she shattered around him, screaming his name and convulsing so hard he almost thought she was having a seizure.

"Good girl," he purred, pumping into her twice more before spilling himself deep inside her, surprised he was able to last so long after such a long time without any kind of release. He slowly rolled off of her, pulling her close to him as he lay on his back, panting and slick with sweat.

"That was fucking amazing," Jester panted, planting a kiss on his cheek. She curled up into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand over his heart, one leg draped over both of his.

"Yeah, it was. You're tight as _fuck,_" he muttered, resting his hand on top of hers. He wrapped the arm she was laying on around her, kissing her forehead. "I can't believe a baby is gonna come out of there in a few weeks."

"Shhh!" Jester hissed, nipping his shoulder. "I don't even wanna think about it – I'd rather have the Doc cut him out."

"Whatever you want," Joker grinned, rubbing her back. "As long as you're happy."

"Speaking of which," Jester's tone didn't bode well for him – he knew that voice, that 'thinking too much for her own good' voice. He groaned, rolling his eyes.

"What can I do for ya?"

"You can _actually _propose to me. Make it something romantic and quiet – not what you promised me long ago when you gave me my GNX and jewelry."

Joker laughed, recalling that day and how she kept thinking he was giving her a ring. He remembered what he said to her and shook his head.

_'Baby, if I was going to give you a ring, I wouldn't just hand it to you in a fucking box like that. It would be a ridiculous spectacle, and you wouldn't be expecting it. I'm the Joker, babe. I do things with flair, with pizzazz, with finesse!'_

"You got it," he agreed, kissing her once more on the forehead before pulling the covers over them both. "Now get some sleep, ya brat."

She chuckled, snuggling closer to him and letting her eyes close. Just before she fell asleep, she heard him whisper something that made her heart swell.

"No more lonely nights, princess. I ain't losing you over a fuckin' strip joint."

* * *

"That pale, jail tattoo covered, green haired, arrogant, lying _motherfucker_!" Jester was storming her way through the first floor of the house to the kitchen. She had woken up from her nap alone – Joker was nowhere in sight and his black alligator oxfords were missing. She slammed the kitchen door open, finding her friends in there along with Joker. Joker turned away from the stove, catching her eye and laughing at her as her expression changed from livid to shocked. "What the fuck is happening here?"

"We're making dinner," Catwoman grinned at her, biting back her laughter.

"Oh," Jester muttered, her cheeks turning scarlet red in her embarrassment. She refused to meet Joker's eyes as he continued to stare at her, his laughter still ringing out in the room.

Tommy, Scarecrow, and Johnny were sitting at the kitchen island while Harley and Catwoman cut up vegetables for a giant salad. There were no chairs at all at the kitchen table and no sign of the ones Joker had smashed in his rage this morning.

"Here, cuz, have a seat." Tommy was also biting back his laughter, hiding it behind a fake cough as he stood and gave his seat up to her. He helped her into the high stool and let a snicker escape him, bursting into full blown laughter when she smacked his arm.

"Someone's hangry as fuck," Deadshot observed, coming inside from the deck with the dogs in tow. "Good thing J's making one of your favorites – chicken alfredo."

"What?" Jester felt like someone had punched her in the head. She was bewildered, looking from Deadshot to Joker who was wearing his clothes from earlier, solving the case of the missing alligator oxfords. His clothes were covered with a black apron that said 'EAT MY MEAT' that had a dancing cartoon sausage on it. "I don't even know what to make of any of this," she muttered, trying not to burst out laughing at Joker's apron.

"Looks like the 'pale, jail tattoo covered, green haired, arrogant, lying motherfucker' can cook." Joker mimicked her perfectly, even getting her high-pitched, booming angry voice right. He grinned at her, crooking his finger at her to beckon her over. Once she was close enough, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Did ya have a good nap, _darling?_"

Jester turned bright red again, avoiding his eyes. "Yeah," she answered, pressing her hands against his chest to try and get away.

He tightened his grip on her, chuckling in her ear. "Don't worry about it, Songbird. I know what you were thinkin'. I'm right here and I ain't going anywhere."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, still red in the face.

"You should be – that was one of the lamest insults you've ever made. You can do much better than _that_."

"Hey Jestah, c'mere!" Harley beckoned her over, giving her a tight hug once she was at the kitchen island. "We missed ya."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Scarecrow agreed, catching Jester's eye. They both stared at each other for a moment, almost as if they were communicating through their eyes alone. Scarecrow was the first to break the eye contact, coughing awkwardly and averting his gaze to the little window in the kitchen that overlooked the backyard.

"I missed you guys too," Jester said cheerfully, masking her sadness about the obvious fracture in hers and Scarecrow's friendship.

"Off to the dining room, ya filthy animals," Joker declared, nodding towards the dining room door.

Once they were all comfortably seated at the large dining room table, Johnny and a nervous looking Doctor Davis included, Joker set down the large pan of chicken alfredo he had made next to the big salad the girls had put together. Everyone knew better than to reach for any of it before Jester, especially since she was pregnant, and Jester heaped a pretty hefty amount onto her plate. She smiled when she noticed that whoever set up the table had given her an extra bowl for her salad – she hated when salad dressing got in her plate and touched other food, she had been like that since she was a kid. Once she was settled and her plate was full, everyone else served themselves and dug in. To Jester's shock and awe, the chicken alfredo was phenomenal – the best she ever had, in fact. She met Joker's eyes across the table and he smirked at her, shooting her a wink.

"I promise I didn't poison it," Joker teased, chuckling at himself.

Doctor Davis hesitated for a moment as she brought her fork to her mouth, giving Jester a horrified look. Jester burst out laughing, squeezing the woman's shoulder reassuringly. "He's joking," she assured her, nudging the arm that held her fork. "If ya spent more time around us, you'd be able to discern the difference between an actual threat and a harmless joke."

"Sorry," Doctor Davis muttered, avoiding Jester's eyes.

Scarecrow chuckled this time. "Jester didn't mean any harm by that. We know it's quite _scary_ to be in our company – especially on a constant basis."

"Speak for yourself, Straw Man," Joker piped up. "Lots of people would _die _to be in my company."

"You're scaring the shit out of her," Catwoman scolded, narrowing her eyes at Joker. "Leave her alone."

"I thought it was funny," Harley shrugged, shoveling more salad into her mouth.

Doctor Davis eventually relaxed, clearing her entire plate and even complimenting Joker on his cooking.

When dinner was over, Tommy and Johnny insisted on cleaning up all the plates and Deadshot and Harley offered to wash the dishes. Doctor Davis politely excused herself and declined dessert and coffee, heading back up to her room. Joker busied himself in the kitchen taking out leftover desserts and cake from the night before while Catwoman made a big pot of coffee. This left Jester alone in the living room with Scarecrow, both just sitting awkwardly on opposite sides of the room and not speaking to each other.

After 5 minutes that seemed more like an eternity, Jester couldn't take it anymore and she cleared her throat, catching Scarecrow's eye. "I hate this," she announced, frowning at him.

"I'm sorry," he was frowning, too, his hands folded in his lap.

"I'm not mad, you know," Jester assured him. "I could never be. I love you! You're one of my best friends, Craney. You're important to me."

Scarecrow perked up at that, giving her a small smile. "You're important to me too, littlest clown. I crossed a line last night and I didn't respect your boundaries – I apologize for that. It wasn't my finest moment."

Jester waved him off, scoffing. "No need to apologize. I just want this weird tension between us gone. I want my best friend back."

"You've got me," Scarecrow mused, making his way over to her and crouching in front of her. He took her hands in his and pressed a kiss to the back of each one.

"I need you, you know. I don't know what I'd do without you. You're always there for me and you take such good care of me. I know it's selfish, but... I don't want you to leave. I don't wanna lose you."

"Then you have me," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere – I'll always be right here with you, no matter what."

Jester leaned down and pulled him into a hug, grinning from ear to ear as they held each other. "Good, 'cause my little Ace is gonna need his Uncle Craney around to teach him all about biochemistry."

Scarecrow chuckled, stroking her hair and her back affectionately. "Who am I to deny such an opportunity to show off my genius and skills?"

Jester laughed and they released each other just in time for the whole kitchen crew to enter the living room with trays of cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, brownies, cake, and cups of coffee. "Oh yeah, bring those little bitches here," Jester licked her lips, pointing to the tray of mini cheesecakes.

Joker laughed and handed her a plate full of them along with a small cup of coffee made just the way she liked it. "Sometimes I wonder who really wants all of these things – you, or him?"

"It's both," Jester confirmed. "He's already a mama's boy, go figure."

* * *

The next few weeks were a huge improvement. Joker was home way more often, only spending a few hours at the club on Friday and Saturday nights just like he used to. On the nights he wasn't there, he had Johnny and Tommy keeping an eye on things for him, also hanging out there until closing on Friday and Saturday nights after he left. He hated to go at all, especially since Jester had been so upset with him, but he needed to handle business and couldn't fall off the grid. He cooked for her more often, doing his best to learn all of her favorite meals and how to cook them. When he was home, he was usually upstairs with her, laying in bed with her and watching movies or sitting out and enjoying the weather with her on the back deck while the dogs scampered around. He had been way more intimate with her, making sure she was satisfied at all times and that he gave her as much affection as she'd take. He made it out of the dog house intact, much to his relief.

Today was one of those days when they were relaxing on the back deck. It was early in the morning, around 9:00, and Jester was sipping her usual small cup of coffee – she knew she wasn't supposed to drink it while pregnant but she had a nasty caffeine addiction and got sick as a dog when she didn't have any. Joker was in the chair beside hers, also sipping his own coffee and smoking a cigarette. He made sure to exhale the smoke away from her, despite their conversation about the baby probably being immune to second-hand smoke and any kind of cancer that it supposedly caused. Jester was careful not to smoke during her entire pregnancy, which was probably one of the biggest reasons for her temper tantrums and unbridled rage. She was wearing only a pair of panties, Joker's t-shirt she used for sleep, her black and purple robe and a pair of purple slippers. Joker, on the other hand, was only wearing his Oakley sunglasses and a pair of bright yellow boxer briefs with the Batman logo on the front of them, which had Jester's sides splitting in hysterical fits of belly laughter for a good 10 minutes when she got out of bed.

"It's the 8th, you know," Joker reminded her, peering at her over the rim of his Oakleys. "You wanna go to the cemetery today?"

"No, it's okay," Jester frowned a little, fighting back tears as memories of her little niece flooded her brain. "I don't need to go to her grave for her to know that I miss and love her. She's always right here, after all." Jester put one hand on her heart and the other on the butterfly tattoo she had gotten in her niece's memory on her right forearm.

"You sure? I'll take ya anywhere you wanna go, baby. We can bring her some flowers – maybe Ivy can do a little somethin'."

Jester smiled at him and reached out, grasping his hand in hers and lacing their fingers together. "I know you will, you've been so good to me these past few weeks. It means the world to me, J."

"I should've been good like this the whole time – I just couldn't help it. Call me uh... _overprotective." _

Jester giggled. "That's an understatement! It's kind of cute – you know, when you're _not _holding me prisoner in our own home."

"You two make me sick," Deadshot joked, coming out on the deck in just a pair of sweatpants and Adidas sandals. He took one look at Joker and burst out laughing, choking on his donut. "I must be trippin'," he gasped. "Got J man over here in Batman briefs. I can't believe my eyes!"

"Can't let the flying rodent forget about me or vise Versa," Joker mused, grinning. "After all, nobody loves him more than _I_ do."

Jester laughed, shaking her head. "Never a dull moment in this house."

"Speaking of... sorry about today," Deadshot ruffled her hair and squeezed her free hand as he made his way past her. "She'd be what, 7 or 8 now?"

Jester thought about it for a moment, doing the math in her head. She peered down at her tattoo and the lettering she had done on top of it.

_'Mackenzie Alba_

_8/8/08 - 3/5/13'_

"It's 2016, right? She'd be uh... yeah, she'd be 8 years old today." Jester sighed, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "I can't imagine her older, taller, and even more beautiful than she was. It's so weird to try and imagine her as anything but a fierce little 4-year-old."

"Ain't that the truth," Tommy agreed, coming out on the deck with his own cup of coffee. "I miss that kid, man. She was somethin' special."

"Yeah, she was," Jester grinned, patting Tommy's arm as he passed her. "But, on to less depressing matters! This little terror is coming out soon!" She placed her hands on her giant belly and grinned, watching as he kicked excitedly inside of her as if he knew he was the topic of discussion.

"You scared?" Tommy asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Scared out of my fucking _mind," _Jester admitted. "But excited to get him the hell out at the same time. Pregnancy is _not _for me."

"No, it _really _isn't," Deadshot agreed with a chuckle. "You've been a fucking psycho – no pun intended – during the entire thing. Thank God your pregnancy's only lasting half the time as a normal one!"

"Preach," Tommy agreed, ducking the slipper Jester threw at him.

"Fuck you guys, too," Jester stuck her tongue out at them, throwing up two middle fingers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the mother of my child," Joker drawled, motioning towards Jester with his hands.

"Ah, shut up. You love me," Jester teased, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

He grinned at her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "That's right."

They all sat there for a while, chatting and bullshitting as they always did. Joker asked Tommy and Jester about Mackenzie since he and Deadshot never knew her, and Jester's eyes lit up as she told a ton of funny stories about her feisty, bossy, genius little niece who had everyone wrapped around her finger since the day she was born. All of a sudden, Jester's eyes went as wide as saucers and she blushed, chewing on her bottom lip.

"What's wrong?" Joker was instantly on his feet and crouching in front of her, searching her eyes for any signs of pain or distress. He had been a lot more vigilant the closer she got to her due date, always assuming the littlest of things meant she was in labor.

"Uh... well," embarrassed, she took his hand and placed it on the cushion she sat on, her blush turning scarlet as his eyes widened in realization.

"Is that... what I think it is?"

"Well, I didn't piss myself!" She snapped, terrified and panicked.

"Wait a minute," Tommy leaned forward in his seat, catching his cousin's panicked eyes. "Your water just broke?"

Jester's eyes filled with tears and she nodded, cradling her belly in her hands. "I think it's time," she whispered, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm scared."

"It's gonna be fine!" Tommy reassured her, smiling at her and helping Joker to get her out of her seat. "Amy's been through it three times, your sister has done it twice, Jen's done it three times – and look, they all turned out just fine, right? You can do this."

Jester nodded, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "Where's Doctor Davis?"

"I'm on it!" Deadshot yelled, running for the sliding doors and bolting up the stairs to the Doctor's room.

In the meantime, Joker and Tommy helped Jester inside and carefully got her up the stairs, taking as much time as she needed. Once she was in her usual examination room, Doctor Davis stepped inside and grinned at her. "Oh yeah, your water definitely broke," she mused, patting Jester's hand reassuringly. She turned her gaze to Joker and grinned at him. "You ready to become a Daddy?"

Joker nearly fainted at the words, the realization that his son was about to make his entrance into this world hitting him like a ton of bricks. "Oh boy," he breathed, bracing himself against the counter off to the side.

"Hey, you jerk! You better keep your ass conscious and coherent! _I'm_ the one pushing him out of my crotch!" Jester glared at him and he chuckled, calming himself enough to stand on his own two legs. Once they stopped wobbling, he made his way over to her side and held her hand in his.

"Alright, baby, time to show me how strong ya are."

Tommy and Deadshot took their cue and left the room, running frantically through the house to alert everyone. Tommy took the liberty of going to the greenhouse and making Ivy aware. Ivy had given him a bright smile, excitement dancing in her eyes as she made flowers bloom by the hundreds in the greenhouse. She promised she'd be in the house as soon as Jester was rested, recovered, and the baby was properly checked over.

Scarecrow and Catwoman had come into the room to help Doctor Davis with the delivery, knowing she would need an extra pair of hands, at least. Joker allowed it – after telling Scarecrow to "keep his beady little eyes off of Jester's pretty parts."

While Jester was in labor, everyone else sat in the living room playing board games like Candyland, Clue, Snakes and Ladders, and Guess Who? They refused to play Monopoly, knowing it would more than likely end up in a shootout – after all, everyone knew Monopoly was the type of game to ruin friendships.

* * *

When all was said and done, Ace David Ali had arrived alive and healthy. Doctor Davis, Scarecrow, and Catwoman had all gasped collectively when he crowned and again when he was finally out, reeling at the child's resemblance to his clown-like parents. Jester panicked, thinking something must've been wrong with the baby but they reassured her and a very frantic yet irate Joker. Scarecrow helped Joker to cut the umbilical cord, chuckling at how careful the psychopathic clown was with the scissors. "I don't wanna hurt the little guy," Joker growled, snipping it where Scarecrow pointed and making a clean cut. He marveled at his newborn son and how much he resembled his mother, both amazed and bewildered by his appearance.

"What's going on? Is he okay? Why isn't he crying?" Jester was soaked with sweat, panting and crying still, craning her neck around to try and see her baby.

A loud, shrill cry filled the room almost instantly and she sighed in relief, letting her head drop back against the pillows. "Please, let me see him," she begged, reaching her arms out.

"Give me a moment to wash him, Jester," Doctor Davis said softly, giving her a reassuring smile before entering the guest bathroom attached to the room and turning the sink on.

Jester wiped her face, trying to stop crying as she reached out for Joker. He came to her side instantly, smoothing her hair back from her face and kissing her forehead. "Oh baby, you did so _good_. He's perfect. He looks just like you!"

"He does?" Jester quirked an eyebrow at him, curious.

"Oh yeah, princess. Hair just like yours, a perfect little face like yours, perfect porcelain skin like yours..."

"He's... he's like _us?_" She was incredulous, her eyes nearly popping out of her skull. "What do you mean, J?"

"See for yourself," he kissed her forehead once more before going to the entrance of the guest bathroom and taking the baby from Doctor Davis. He held him carefully as if he were made of glass and would shatter any minute. He locked his arms tightly around the swaddled infant, taking slow steps as he made his way back to Jester's side. Once he was beside her, he handed little Ace to her and his heart swelled as he watched Jester cradle him and cry, marveling at how beautiful he was.

"Oh my God," Jester sobbed, nuzzling the infant with her nose. "He's... he's a _clown_!"

"I suppose so," Scarecrow said, watching from the side where he stood next to Catwoman. Catwoman was amazed by the child – she had a hard time with all the gore of the birth but as soon as she saw little Ace come out, she was starstruck. She was still staring at little Ace, completely enamored by him. "He's beautiful," she breathed, a small smile spreading across her face.

"He's got your eyes," Jester whispered, smiling up at Joker through her tears.

Joker grinned at her and leaned down to kiss her softly before pressing another kiss to little Ace's head. "And your hair."

It was true. Little Ace had plum colored hair just like his mother's – even his eyebrows were plum. His skin was ghostly white like theirs and he had his father's icy blue eyes. His lips had a slight plum-colored tinge to them, almost a perfect mix of the red of his father's and the deep burgundy of his mother's. His porcelain skin was flawless – no birthmarks, no moles, no scars, no blemishes at all. He was like a beautiful, blank canvas. He was currently swaddled in the clown-print blanket that Scarecrow had gotten for his crib and Jester smiled when she noticed his little hat and socks matched it. "I can't believe we made this," Jester cooed, kissing her newborn son's cheeks, nose, and forehead. "I love him more than anything already."

"Save some of that love for me, would ya?" Joker teased, stroking her hair affectionately.

Jester laughed, tilting her head up to kiss him again and grinning against his mouth. "I love you very much, too."

"We'll give you guys some time," Doctor Davis announced, congratulating them quickly before exiting the room to go wash up and change.

"You don't have to go," Jester looked over at Scarecrow and Catwoman and smiled. "You helped bring him into this world, after all. Come say hello."

Catwoman practically leaped over to them in her excitement, leaning over Jester's bed and cooing at the quiet infant. Scarecrow knew he was in trouble at the exact moment his heart swelled in his chest with love for the child and an instinctual need to protect him from anything and anyone that would harm him. He wondered if this was how Joker was feeling – after all, they were two psychopaths in a pod.

"Oh, Jester, he's your mini-me!" Catwoman wiped her eyes, blinking back the next round of tears that threatened to spill. "May I?"

"Of course, _Aunt_ _Selina_," Jester choked on the words, bursting into tears again. Catwoman cried with her, gently taking Ace into her arms and cradling him close to her chest.

"Hi, handsome. I'm your Aunt Selina! I'm so happy to see you, little one." She whimpered when his little fist wrapped around her pointer finger, squeezing gently. "Oh... you might just be the love of my life," she purred, completely lost in the moment with little Ace.

"Thank you," Joker approached Scarecrow with his hand out, something he rarely did with anyone. "You uh... you did a good job."

Scarecrow chuckled, quickly shaking Joker's hand. "I'd do anything for Jester," he murmured, flashing a smile to the woman in question. "Congratulations to both of you – he's perfect."

After Catwoman got some time with Ace, Scarecrow was able to hold him. It was comical. He was more terrified to hold the child than Joker had been – asking for a pillow to place under his arm as he sat with the infant, keeping his arms locked tight around the child, being careful to cross his legs a certain way so there was extra support for the baby's back. He was like a worried mother hen, fussing and fretting over Ace and not daring to move an inch once he was settled with him in his chair. In the meantime, Joker had kissed Jester once more before washing his hands in the bathroom and heading downstairs to break the news to the rest of the group.

"Hey, you guys ever hear the one about the day Ace David Ali was born?" He grinned like the madman that he was as he stepped into the living room, looking every single bit the proud father that he was.

Everyone jumped up from where they had been sitting Indian-style on the floor, shrieking and shouting with excitement. Johnny and Tommy were blubbering like babies, barely able to form any coherent sentences. Harley was practically bouncing off the walls, crying and shrieking in excitement. Deadshot had a small smile on his face, his eyes filling up with tears at the thought that his little kiddo just had one of her own. Poison Ivy chose that exact moment to make her debut into the house, wrapped up in her thin vines that covered her skin and bearing gifts. She had several of the flowers Joker had filled the master bedroom with on Jester's birthday in two nice little pots, perfectly planted and tended to so they'd continue growing and wouldn't die. "I thought she'd like to have these," Poison Ivy smiled at Joker. "One of them is for Jester, the other is for the little one's bedroom."

"Can we go see him, Mistah J? Can we _please_?!" Harley was fighting her urge to go sprinting up the stairs and it showed in the strained expression on her face.

Joker laughed, ruffling her hair. "Of course. Go on up, all of ya. Just go easy – she's tired. I don't know how she did it, but I couldn't be more proud of my little woman."

"That's the cutest thing I've ever heard you say," Deadshot teased in a high-pitched, feminine voice. "Damn, Mistah J!"

"Shut up and get upstairs," Joker rolled his eyes, smirking despite himself. He followed everyone up calmly and slowly as they practically killed each other to reach the top of the staircase first. Even Ivy had used her vines to trip a few of their friends and get the upper hand.

"Oh my, Ace," Jester whispered, grinning at her friends. "Looks like all your Aunts and Uncles are here. You've already met Aunt Selina and Uncle Craney – now you get to meet Uncle Johnny, Uncle Tommy, Uncle D.S., Aunt Ivy, and Aunt Harley."

"This is one fucked up Brady Bunch," Deadshot cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion as he fought back tears. "But man, I love this shit." He was the first to take little Ace from Jester, cradling the child expertly and beaming at him. "You're gonna be strong as hell, kid, and Uncle D.S. Is gonna train ya to make sure you ain't stupid with your strength."

"So it begins," Joker mused. "Ace – the Assassin."

"Like mother, like son," Jester winked at Joker, giving him a saucy smirk. "Told ya he's a mama's boy."

"Well we'll just have to make another one so I can have myself a Daddy's Girl – you can't be the favorite parent _forever_, ya know."

"Don't make me cut you," Jester hissed, glaring at him. "Too soon, Habibi! Too soon!"

"Hey, what's 'Habibi' mean anyway?" Harley asked, ripping her gaze from little Ace. "That's the second time I've heard you say it."

"It's Arabic for 'my love,'" Jester answered, smiling at Harley. "Though I think I'm gonna use it for Ace instead – sorry, babe."

Joker just rolled his eyes and leaned down to kiss her, stroking her hair and her face with his hands. "I love you," he whispered, tilting her chin up and looking her in the eye. "More than anything. Thank you."

Jester wiped at her eyes, cursing herself for crying so much. "Thank _you,_" she countered, running her fingers through his green locks. "I couldn't be any happier."

* * *

Later that night, Jester and Joker were happily cuddled up in their master bedroom with little Ace in Jester's arms, content but not asleep as she sang to him. Joker grinned, gently stroking Ace's chubby cheek with his fingertips, amazed at how soft and smooth his skin felt. "Whatcha gonna sing tonight, princess?" Joker whispered, pecking Jester on the cheek.

She thought for a minute, her eyebrows knit together. "I don't know," she finally confessed. "I can't think of anything to sing to him."

"How about the song your dad always sang to you? 'Sweet Child O' Mine', right?"

"That song is for a little girl though," Jester sighed, resting her head on Joker's shoulder. She was exhausted but Doctor Davis had warned her she'd be up every three hours to feed the baby. Sure, he'd sleep a whole lot, but only for about 3 hours at a time before he'd be hungry again. Jester wasn't looking very forward to it, but at least they were keeping him in the bassinet next to Jester's side of the bed for the next few nights so she wouldn't have to get up a trillion times.

"So change the words," Joker prodded, pressing his finger into Ace's small fist so Ace would hold his finger the way he did with Catwoman. He realized why Catwoman had melted over the same thing earlier today – there was no other feeling in the entire world like this one.

"Hmm... that's an idea, but one I'm much too tired for tonight." Jester yawned, leaning further into Joker's side.

"Come to Daddy, little one," Joker cooed, carefully sliding Ace into his lap and keeping his finger in his fist. "Mama's super tired. One song and then you gotta take your first uh... _nap_."

"I've got a song in mind, but it's more geared towards you and not him," Jester finally said, chewing on her lower lip.

"He's an infant, Songbird. He's not gonna remember any of this. I'm sure he just loves hearing your voice... which makes two of us." He smiled at her and pressed his forehead against hers, feeling more calm, happy, and relaxed than he ever had in his entire life – from what he could remember, at least.

"That's true. Alright, my loves. One song and then I'm going right to sleep." Jester turned over on her side, facing Joker and Ace and laying her head down in the space of Joker's lap that Ace currently wasn't taking up.

Joker smiled down at her, stroking his free hand through her hair the way she liked as she sang to them, making sure to stay asleep long enough to put Ace in his bassinet and tuck him in once Jester fell asleep.

"_Take a breath, take it deep_

_'Calm yourself,' he says to me_

_If you play, you play for keeps_

_Take the gun and count to three_

_I'm sweating now, moving slow_

_No time to think, my turn to go_

_And you can see my heart beating_

_You can see it through my chest_

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving_

_I know that I must pass this test_

_So just pull the trigger..."_

Ace was already asleep at this point, looking more peaceful than he had since his birth. He was swaddled up nice and cozy with his little hat and socks on. Doctor Davis had been kind enough to cut his nails for them since Jester was terrified she'd accidentally cut him, but they put little mitts on him anyway – better to be safe than sorry. Joker continued to stroke Jester's hair, carefully slipping his finger out of Ace's grip and gently cupping the back of his head, stroking his cheek with the pad of his thumb. Between the beautiful sound of Jester's voice and his beautiful newborn son in his lap, he felt like he might have a heart attack – he didn't realize anyone could feel so much love all at once and _survive_ it.

As alarming as it was, he wouldn't trade this feeling for the world – he didn't realize how incomplete the two of them were until little Ace came along. He was so innocent, so perfect and so beautiful – a perfect addition to their little family. Looking down at Jester and Ace, he almost couldn't believe he had any part in creating such a fragile, pure creature – he was a psychopathic clown that murdered for laughs, and here he was carefully cradling his newborn child in his lap and feeling a fierce, primal need to protect and provide for Jester and Ace. All his other usual thoughts, plans, and musings crept into the back of his mind, completely forgotten about.

"_Say a prayer to yourself_

_He says, 'Close your eyes_

_Sometimes it helps,'_

_And then I get a scary thought_

_That he's here, means he's never lost_

_And you can see my heart beating_

_Oh, you can see it through my chest_

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving_

_Know that I must pass this test_

_So just pull the trigger_

_As my life flashes before my eyes_

_I'm wondering 'will I ever see another sunrise?'_

_So many won't get the chance to say goodbye_

_But it's too late to think of the value of my life..."_

He could hear the sleep creeping into Jester's voice and smiled down at her, continuing his ministrations on her hair. Her voice was dying down and he knew she was getting closer to the end of the beautiful song, her energy leaving her quickly. He could see why she chose this song – it was perfect for the two of them. No, they hadn't played Russian Roulette and he hadn't made her, but God only knew how terrified she had been to be with him and to take this leap with him and everything that had happened that lead up to them being right here, right now in this very moment. He wouldn't take any of it back – not even the bad days, the fights, and the violence. They were who they were, and they loved each other unconditionally. Changing their history would be like changing pieces of them, and he'd never do that.

He glanced at the ring on her finger and furrowed his brows, thinking hard about everything she said a few weeks ago when she had run away. He would make it up to her – all of it. He'd come up with a beautiful idea for a proposal and he'd sweep her off her feet all over again like he did that night when she was living in the warehouse. If Ace's birth taught him anything, it taught him that he'd never, ever love another woman the way he loved Jester and he'd be nothing without her. If she left him or she was taken from him, he'd cease to exist. He always thought the Batman was his reason, his purpose in life; but he was wrong. Very wrong. If anything ever happened to Jester or Ace, he would burn the entire world to the ground and let himself burn with it.

He looked down at her once more, smiling at her even though she couldn't see it, planning out little ideas and gifts he'd be putting together the next few months to show her how much he loved, appreciated and needed her. None of it would ever amount to what she'd already done for him – rescuing him when he didn't realize he needed it, calming the Madness inside him, balancing him, loving him unconditionally, and giving him a son – but he'd do his best.

"_And you can see my heart beating_

_Oh, you can see it through my chest_

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving, no_

_Know that I must pass this test_

_You can see my heart beating_

_Oh, you can see it through my chest_

_I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving, no, no_

_Know that I must pass this test_

_So just pull the trigger..."_

"Beautiful," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her shoulder, minding baby Ace in his lap. He carefully scooped Ace up into his arms and slipped out of bed, making his way around it slowly and rocking Ace in case he woke up as he approached the bassinet. Biting his lip and praying he wouldn't wake the sleeping infant or his sleeping beauty, he carefully set Ace down in his bassinet and tucked him in with a black cashmere blanket from the rack in the other room – if he was correct, this one was a gift from Catwoman.

Earlier, when he had set up the bassinet with the help of a highly amused Tommy, Joker slipped a soft elephant stuffed animal inside it for bedtime. He rocked the bassinet a little, watching as his son slept, content to just look at him awhile longer before curling back up with Jester. If she'd be up every three hours, he would be up with her, so what did it matter if he missed some extra sleep? Neither one of them would be getting any for months, he already knew that very well from what Deadshot had told him about his own daughter's infancy.

He made sure to tell Deadshot if his ex ever allowed him to see his daughter that she would always be welcome at the Mansion and around little Ace. Ace would need friends, anyway. Deadshot had been deeply moved by the offer, but Joker suspected half the emotion was because the man wasn't allowed around his child. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if Jester kept Ace from him and he was forced to go years without seeing his own flesh and blood. If he had to, he'd cut a _deal _of sorts with Deadshot's ex to get her to give Deadshot at least partial custody. A good father shouldn't be without his child, after all.

Joker leaned down and pressed a soft, gentle kiss to Ace's little nose, stroking his chubby, soft cheek once more before finally backing away from the bassinet and slipping back into bed. "God, I love you," he murmured into Jester's hair, pulling her as close as he could to him, thankful that there wasn't a huge belly keeping a distance between them anymore – though he'd never say it out loud to her.

* * *

Joker and Jester didn't know it, but their nice little family moment was witnessed by everyone in the house – the nosy bastards had all been crouched outside the bedroom door – even Ivy! They had all watched from the little bit of space the cracked door provided, curious to see how the Clown Prince of Crime would react to his first real night of fatherhood.

"I told ya," Harley whispered, "I told you idiots he'd be a perfect Daddy."

"First night is always the hardest," Deadshot whispered back defensively. "I bet you a G that Jester cries the second time Ace wakes up and Joker heads downstairs for a stiff drink."

"You're fucking on," Tommy took the bet, grinning wickedly at Deadshot. "My little cousin ain't a wimp."

"Man you forget we both know her extremely well. You better pay up when you lose." Deadshot chuckled, motioning them all down the hall.

They were super sneaky tonight – not only were they eavesdropping and peeping, but they had moved several spare full size and queen size beds into the guest room next to the baby's, two doors down from the master bedroom, and were all having a giant Rogue sleepover in the room so they'd be ready and able to help Jester and Joker when they got overwhelmed for the next couple of weeks. As far as they were all concerned, they were all an odd little family – sure, they didn't always get along, but they'd learned to coexist and even love each other – and when you're family, you look out for and take care of each other.

Surprisingly, the whole thing was Ivy's idea. She had grown quite attached to little Ace within just moments of holding him and wanted to be as close as possible while he was still fragile, tiny, and helpless. The greenhouse would survive without her for a couple of weeks.

They had set up a bar in the guest bedroom for themselves and in anticipation of Joker's need for whiskey while running low on sleep and fighting off his Madness. "Whiskey? Vodka? Scotch? Gin? … _Tequila_?" Johnny was grinning like the cat that caught the canary as he poured himself a glass of cabernet sauvignon, looking expectantly at everyone else. As expected, they all came up and got their own drinks, aside from Poison Ivy who preferred not to 'poison' her body, as ironic as that statement was.

They all toasted – quietly – to Ace, Jester, and Joker and drank, pushing all the beds close together so it was like one giant Tempurpedic mass, sprawling themselves out and chatting like kids would at a co-ed sleepover.

"So, who do you think the godparents will be?" Tommy quipped, drawing everyone's attention.

"Oh, those are fightin' words," Deadshot teased, fake-boxing Tommy where they sat.

"If they even choose godparents," Catwoman cut in. "Knowing Jester, she won't do that because she won't think it's fair to any of us – she loves us all, she wouldn't select just two of us and be okay with it. She'd feel like she betrayed the rest of us."

"I agree," Scarecrow nodded, looking quite thoughtful. "She wouldn't want to choose between any of us."

"I guess they're gonna have to have more kids, then," Harley had that evil, creepy grin spread across her pale face. "'Cause I got dibs on lil' Ace!"

"The hell you do," Catwoman argued, winking at her and nudging her with her elbow. "I held him first, anyway."

"Oh, please," Ivy retorted. "I've given him living alarm systems and friends, I've definitely got dibs. I also made Jester all those teas to ease her pain and nausea during the pregnancy."

"I'd be Godfather first – I'm legit family," Tommy puffed his chest out, looking smug as ever.

"Bitch, please," Deadshot chuckled, shaking his head. "Scarecrow has replaced us both, man."

"Oh, don't do that," Scarecrow groaned, sipping at his bourbon. "It would be Tommy first, hands-down. Then you, then myself."

"So we're dooming them to have two more kids?" Harley waggled her eyebrows and stuck her tongue out impishly, clearly up to no good.

"You realize if Jester heard any of this, she'd have our fucking heads," Deadshot mused, chuckling at Harley's mischievousness. "And if J heard – well, we'd have to hear them fucking way more often, 'cause the crazy son of a bitch would figure out a way to smooth talk her into it."

"Aw come on, man!" Tommy groaned, scrubbing his hands down his face. "Gross, I don't wanna even think about it!"

"'Cause you hear them every time just like the rest of us do," Catwoman teased, poking him in the shoulder.

"I hate all of you," Tommy groaned, shooting Johnny a pleading look.

Johnny laughed, giving a half-shrug. "I gotta say, man, I pray they have more. And as for Godfather, I'm Joker's right-hand man and most trusted guy, so... I'd technically be second in line." He took in everyone's disbelieving looks and burst out laughing. "I can't even keep a straight face," he wheezed, "as much as it pains me to say it, Deadshot and Scarecrow got the jump on me... so now they just need to have three more kids and we're all good."

"Ivy, can't you use your pheromones on them or something?" Harvey gave her friend a quizzical look, noticing the woman had dialed down her toxicity and pheromones for everyone else's safety and benefit.

"No can do, Harls," Ivy shook her head. "They're immune, just like you – remember?"

"Damn!" Harley punched the mattress in defeat, scowling.

They all had a good laugh about it and sipped their drinks, all chatting about Ace, how beautiful he is, how they can't believe the two crazy clowns are parents, and all the things they couldn't wait to teach and show him as he grew up.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **Thank you, as always, for all the favorites and follows! Reviews are always welcome. :)

* * *

"I know it's an inappropriate question, but I'm curious," Scarecrow smiled down at Ace as Jester cradled and bottle-fed him, cooing at him and grinning.

"You want to know why I chose not to breastfeed," Jester supplied, lifting her head and smirking at him. "It's human nature to be curious. Well," she sighed, pulling the bottle away from Ace and dabbing at his mouth with his bib to clean up excess formula that had dribbled down his chin. "In our line of work, it should come as no surprise. God forbid something ever happens to me, he'd have to be bottle-fed anyway. I don't believe all that bullshit about losing out on a bond with your child if you don't breastfeed – J and I created Ace, my body was his home for 4 and a half months, and I plan to spend all my free time with him. I'd rather he be bottle-fed than depend on me to eat, just in case. Besides, if I'm not breastfeeding I don't have to be the only one getting up in the middle of the night to feed him." She shot Scarecrow a wink and they both shared a chuckle.

"That makes sense," he agreed. "I don't like the thought of something ever happening to you, though."

Jester laughed. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, Craney. Don't worry that brilliant mind of yours."

Scarecrow draped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead, smiling a little. "I won't. You know we would never allow anything to happen to you anyway."

"Very true," Jester agreed. "However, I'm still gonna train my ass off. I need to get back in shape, and those few months without doing anything slowed me down and weakened me. I've gotta get back on my game."

"You're perfect, woman," Joker drawled, rolling his eyes as he came into Ace's room. "The kitty is waitin' for ya downstairs. She's feisty today."

"That's because we're doing hand-to-hand today, bare knuckles and all." Jester grinned wickedly at Joker, leaning back just enough so Joker could kiss Ace's chubby cheek.

"Are you sure you aren't pushing yourself too hard? It hasn't even been 3 months since you gave birth – you should be resting." Scarecrow shot her an apologetic look as the words left his mouth, knowing he made an unintentional dig at her pride.

"I'm fine, Craney," Jester assured him, putting the empty bottle down on the little table next to the glider and cradling Ace to her chest to burp him.

"I got it," Joker growled, a hint of possessiveness in his tone. Jester laughed, getting to her feet and draping a cloth over his bare shoulder with her free hand before handing Ace to him.

"Remember – if he spits up on you again, you can't get mad at him. He's a _baby. _It's what they do."

"Yes, one of the many disgusting things they do," Joker grumbled, cradling his son close to his bare chest. He was shirtless more often than not lately after Jester and Doctor Davis informed him that skin-to-skin contact with the baby was good for both of them. The bonus was no more of his clothes being ruined from baby fluids.

Scarecrow and Jester laughed, watching him for a moment with Ace. It was always intriguing to watch Joker with him – he was a good father for a first-timer and a deranged madman. He was home as much as possible, always close to Jester and Ace, and he was diligent with feedings and bedtime. He learned – albeit begrudgingly – how to change diapers, how to correctly button up a onesie, proper ways to hold Ace and how to feed and burp him. The only thing Joker refused to do by himself was bathing Ace – he had an irrational fear of accidentally drowning him. Jester always bathed Ace in the kitchen sink while Joker loomed over them, watching like a hawk and glaring at the faucet as if it would turn into a snake, rear its head back and bite the child.

"You gonna be okay with him?" Jester asked, lingering at the door to Ace's room.

"I'm taking him downstairs with the boys," Joker whispered, successfully burping the child. He scowled at the wet, gross sound and quickly dabbed at Ace's mouth. "Foul," he hissed, shaking his head.

Jester burst out laughing, coming back over and kissing both Joker and Ace on the cheek before leaving the room. She tested her new 'parkour skills', as Harley called them, and launched herself over the banister much to Scarecrow's horror.

"JESTER!" Scarecrow shouted, rushing to the railing and leaning over, desperately searching for her. He recoiled when Jester's head popped into his vision from the floor beneath him. She waved at him and grinned like the Cheshire Cat before launching herself off of that balcony and to the next, making her way down to the main floor as if she were Spiderman.

"Harley calls that 'house parkour,'" Joker supplied, coming to his side and watching as Jester gleefully skipped her way to the kitchen. They didn't have a designated training room in the mansion yet so Jester's training was always outside in the backyard which was helpful – the trees provided cover and excellent training 'obstacles'.

"I hate it," Scarecrow hissed, still staring at the space where Jester had been moments ago.

"Comes in handy with rooftops, apparently," Joker reasoned. "I was angry at first until I realized she's been doing it her entire uh... _career_."

"Leave it to Harley to make Jester's already dangerous job even more so," Scarecrow sighed, falling into step with Joker as they made their way downstairs and into the living room. They didn't see anyone in there and searched the main floor of the house, looking but not finding anyone.

"Must be outside watching," Joker laughed, making his way to the kitchen and outside to the back deck, closely followed by Scarecrow.

Sure enough, everyone was outside, watching as Jester and Catwoman squared off. Catwoman was in her catsuit, claws and all, and Jester was only dressed in a black tank top and charcoal gray baggy sweatpants with a pair of ratty old sneakers on. She had thrown her plum hair up into a high ponytail, keeping it out of her face, and to Joker's surprise, she still wore her glasses. Joker knew she preferred them to her contacts so this was probably her attempt at practicing to fight with her glasses on and _not _breaking them.

"Alright, ladies," Harley barked, dressed as a referee complete with a whistle around her neck. "On my count! 3... 2... FINISH HER!"

"Harls, that comes at the _end,_" Tommy groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face. "You finish your opponent at the end of the fight."

"Whatever, T-man," Harley waved him off and skipped her way to Deadshot, plopping happily into his lap.

Deadshot laughed, wrapping his arms around her. "I knew you'd like that game."

"What game?" Joker asked, keeping his eyes focused on Jester as he settled himself on a chair and held Ace close to him.

"Mortal Kombat," Deadshot answered, glancing over at the two clowns. Ace was cuddled up against Joker's chest, wearing a purple onesie with green socks, and a green hat. Joker had wrapped him up tight in a green cashmere blanket before coming downstairs, making sure he'd be warm. "Gimme that little fatty," Deadshot reached his arms out for Ace and Joker growled at him before finally relinquishing the child.

"You gotta share, Mistah J," Harley quipped, turning her attention to the baby and cooing at him. "Hiya, handsome. You got all your looks from your mama, just like we said ya would!"

Joker rolled his eyes and ignored Johnny and Tommy's snickers, turning his attention back to Jester who was currently locked up with Catwoman.

Catwoman had Jester by her arm with a leg locked around both of hers, ready to take her down, and she did in one swift movement. He didn't miss the smirk on Jester's face right before she went down and giggled with glee when Jester flipped them over, straddling Catwoman and pressing her forearm against her throat. "Tap out," she commanded.

Catwoman chuckled, swiping at Jester with her claws and coming dangerously close to her face. "You wish," she purred, slipping out of Jester's grip. They were both back on their feet in a second, squaring off once more.

"We're doin' parkour after this – on the roof, though," Harley cackled, watching her two friends fight viciously – if you didn't know Jester and Catwoman were friends, you'd think they were truly trying to kill each other. That's how Jester wanted it – she made it clear she didn't want anyone going easy on her, making it real and pushing her past her limits. She even squared off with Joker now and then, sharpening her skills when it came to knife-fighting and dirty little tricks in an unfair fight.

"I don't know who to root for," Tommy breathed, his eyes wide as he watched the two women throw closed-fist punches at each other. "I can't root for either one, I'd be betraying the other. 'Date your cousin's friend', they said! 'It'll be fun', they said!"

"Relax, kid," Johnny clapped Tommy on the shoulder, chuckling at him. "You know as well as I do they'll tell you to shut up if you root for them at all anyway."

"True," Tommy agreed, hissing as Catwoman slashed Jester's arm pretty badly.

Jester laughed it off, looking wicked and unhinged as she faked a right hook and slammed her left into Catwoman's ribs, knocking the breath out of the woman. "Here kitty, kitty," she taunted, bouncing on her heels, "come get me!"

"Savages," Scarecrow muttered, finally leaving his post where he had been leaning against the house and sat down in the chair next to Joker's. He smiled when he saw a lone vine slithering across the deck, making its way to the chair Deadshot and Harley currently occupied. It snaked its way up the chair leg, around the armrest, and into Harley's lap where Ace was currently cradled. The vine lightly caressed Ace's cheek, causing him to make noise and smile. His hands were moving under his blanket and the vine snuck its way inside of it, probably reaching for the baby's hands so he could grip it. Ivy did this a lot – if she wasn't physically around, she was sending love to the baby one way or another. Ace loved the plants in his room – they'd come alive when he'd wake up from his naps and they'd tickle him and caress him, making Jester laugh every time she came in and caught them in the act.

* * *

"Fuck, I'm hungry," Jester whined, chugging down a protein smoothie Tommy made her. Before he was a painter, he was a physical trainer and a strength and conditioning coach for a couple of big-time baseball teams. He always stayed in good shape, as built and defined as Deadshot and Joker. They frequently worked out together – they had turned one of the rooms on the main floor into a gym/weight room. They always tried to get Scarecrow to join them but he couldn't be bothered, he was always more concerned with his work in the basement. He was still trying to figure out a formula to create the toxin he and Joker discussed many months ago – he was having difficulty trying to link the Joker Venom, Fear Toxin, and any element of Poison Ivy's together.

"Already on it," Deadshot called over his shoulder from the grill through the screen door of the slider. He was cooking up steaks, chicken, and roasting some raw veggies over the fire along with them. They were taking advantage of the weather while it was still fair and relatively warm – for mid-October, at least.

"Oh, thank fuck," Jester groaned, her mouth salivating as she caught the scent of the steaks cooking on the grill.

"Stay still, would ya?" Joker muttered, pulling her arm back into his lap and washing the dried blood off it with a wet rag. "Damn, Selina – ya did a number on her," he snarled, glaring at Catwoman.

"Hey, she got me good too," Catwoman countered, lifting her tank top to expose her black and blue ribs and stomach.

"Shit," Jester hissed, grimacing. "I'm sorry, Selina!"

"No need," Catwoman put a hand up, smirking at Jester. "This is what we all agreed to. We need the workout as much as you do. It's been too long since any of us went at it with Batman or the rest of the Bat Family. You're keeping me on my toes."

"Y'all look like hell," Deadshot shook his head, coming in with a plate of chicken in his hand.

Tommy chuckled as he knelt in front of Catwoman, gently applying Arnica gel to her bruised ribs and flat tummy. "They'll be fine," he murmured, licking his lip as he concentrated. "They're god damn beasts."

"Got that right," Joker agreed proudly, grinning at Jester as he finished applying wound wash to the slowly closing slashes on her arm. "I'm proud of ya, princess," he whispered, stroking her cheek and leaning in for a kiss.

"Where's the little man?" Harley walked into the kitchen and winked at Deadshot before stealing a piece of chicken off the plate in his hand. He snapped out of his daze, ripping his eyes from his friends' wounds and meeting Harley's eyes.

"He's with Johnny," Jester answered, carefully getting to her feet and ignoring the way her muscles and joints seemed to scream at her for it. Right after her match with Catwoman – which was a tie – she had taken to the roof and the trees with Harley's crazy ass, doing 'outside parkour'. Harley watched that one episode of The Office and reveled in any reason to shout 'PARKOUR!' all the time now – otherwise, she'd probably be fighting Jester on the ground as usual. Jester had to admit Harley was a formidable opponent, especially with her gymnastics skills, but she enjoyed fighting her more while they did 'parkour'. It helped her train for any kind of rooftop battles with the Bat Family she might face once she went back to work. It also helped improve her speed, flexibility, core strength and upper body strength. If she had to launch herself off a rooftop or hang off of a ledge to escape an enemy or to make a quick getaway from a job, she could do it.

"Yo, Craney!" Jester shouted down the stairs that led to the basement, grinning when she heard things clattering and Scarecrow's quiet cusses. "Time for dinner!"

"I'll be right up," Scarecrow called, shuffling things around.

Johnny came into the kitchen with Ace held in the crook of his arm like a football, a wide smile plastered on his face. "This kid is too cute," he declared, tickling Ace's cheek.

"He's also a chunk. He's gotta eat." Jester laughed at the way Johnny held Ace – Joker hated it, swearing up and down that if Johnny ever dropped the baby he'd drop him off Wayne Tower.

Jester's father used to hold babies the same way – he was big and muscular, even bigger than Johnny, and his forearms were bigger than Jester's head. She swore no baby was ever more secure and comfortable – all the babies in her family loved being held like that, and even as they got older and turned into toddlers, they'd beg her dad to let them swing from his arm to 'show off his guns'. She missed those days – what she wouldn't give to see her father interact with Ace. She bit back her tears and reached out, taking Ace from Johnny and bouncing him a little as she paced around the kitchen.

"30 seconds, right?" Catwoman was at the microwave with a bottle already mixed, looking back at Jester.

Jester nodded, smiling at her. "Thank you."

Ace made his usual content baby noises, curling his fists and moving his head around in Jester's arms.

"He's always so quiet – he barely even cries," Tommy came over to her and gently stroked Ace's head, smiling when Ace smiled at the touch.

"I know – I seriously lucked out," Jester whispered, gently swaying back and forth with him.

"He doesn't get it from me," Joker came up behind Jester and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder and looking down at his son. "He gets it from his Mama – my quiet little Songbird." He pressed a smacking kiss to Jester's cheek and swayed with her for a little bit while they waited for Ace's bottle to cool down, enjoying this little moment with Jester and their son while it lasted.

"Not so quiet anymore," Harley had an evil look on her face and she waggled her eyebrows at her two fellow clowns. "If ya know what I mean."

"I come upstairs for dinner and this is the first thing I hear. I fear I've lost my appetite," Scarecrow drawled, closing the basement door behind him.

"You better find it, I make the best steaks around," Deadshot declared, moving past everyone and setting the steaks and veggies down on the dining room table. "Got yours on a separate plate, kiddo," he called. "Rare, just the way you like it."

Jester looked feral, nearly drooling as she took off with Ace for the dining room, sitting down in her usual seat to Joker's right.

"Give him to me," Joker carefully pulled Ace out of Jester's arms and took his seat at the head of the table, thanking Catwoman when she handed him the readied bottle of formula. "I got him, I want you to eat." He nudged his chin towards Jester's plate and gave her his best 'do as I say' look.

"Yes, sir," she mocked, sticking her tongue out at him before cutting into her steak.

"Honestly, we should film shit like this and send it to Gordon and the Bat," Tommy mused, digging into his steak. "They'd never fucking believe it."

* * *

Jester leaned her head back against the edge of the tub, closing her eyes and letting the warm water, jets, and Epsom salts soothe her sore body. Joker was in the tub with her, watching her from the opposite side with a calculating look on his face. She had been ignoring it for a while, knowing he was probably thinking about the club, his empire, the Funhouse, and other things he had been putting off since her birthday.

"So gorgeous," his sudden purr in her ear sent shivers down her spine and she grinned, opening her eyes and coming face to face with him.

"Ya think so?" She asked innocently, batting her eyelashes at him.

He growled and kissed her furiously in response, pulling her into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. His hard length was pressed against her belly, twitching a little when she ran her fingers through his hair.

"No way, mister," she panted, breaking the kiss to lock eyes with him. "I'm not getting pregnant again!"

"No?" He trailed soft kisses from her mouth to her jaw, down the column of her throat and along her collarbone. "Not even just _one_ more? You can't tell me you aren't curious to see how the next one would look..."

"J... no way," she shook her head, making a weak attempt to push him away.

He laughed, pecking her on the lips. "Maybe a little girl with my hair, or your eyes..."

"Stop that," Jester warned, smacking him on the shoulder.

Joker didn't let up, trailing his tongue along her 'Joker' tattoo. "Maybe she'd come out raven-haired and green-eyed..."

"Or not, because I'm not having another one!" Jester's voice was husky, thick with her want.

"Are you trying to convince _me_... or yourself?" Joker cupped her neck in his hands and nipped at her bottom lip, rolling his hips into hers.

Jester moaned despite herself and let her head fall back, giving him full access to her throat.

"Ooh, is that a submission?" He bit down on her pulse point and raked his nails down her back, pulling her more firmly against him. "I love it when you do this."

"Please, babe, no more. It's way too soon and I don't want another one. I want _you, _but I don't want to get pregnant again." Jester was slack in his arms, running her hands through his hair and along his shoulders and back as he licked, kissed, and sucked at her throat.

All of a sudden he stopped, pressing one more kiss to her lips and gently lifting her head so she was eye to eye with him. "Are you _positive _you don't want another one?" He whispered, searching her eyes.

Jester nodded. "I'm sure. Pregnancy just really isn't for me... childbirth isn't either."

Joker held back his laugh when she scowled, looking quite bitter about the entire ordeal. "If you're sure, princess, I'll do somethin' for ya."

"What are you talking about?" She raised an eyebrow, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I'll uh... I'll get _snipped._" He was dead serious, a stern look on his face.

"What?" Jester's eyes bugged out of her head and she leaned back, examining his face closely. His expression didn't change – there was not a single hint of humor to be found in his eyes or on his face.

"I'll get snipped. I know you said you wanted a hysterectomy but I read about it – don't look at me like that, _of course _I looked into it – and I don't want you risking an even worse bought of depression and a struggle with hormones, estrogen, and all that other lady business."

"You don't have to do that," Jester reasoned, snuggling up against his chest.

"You don't want any more babies and birth control won't stop you from becoming pregnant again – even if I pull out," He winked at her and waggled his eyebrows and she laughed. "I always tell you I'd do anything for you, Songbird. I'll do it if it means I can fuck your brains out anytime I want without you ripping my head off in a pregnancy fueled rage."

They both cackled at that, recalling how feral and cruel she was during her pregnancy.

"I can just do the hysterectomy," Jester insisted.

"No, baby. No way. I've got a lot less to uh... _lose_... than you – and I won't have to take estrogen pills."

Jester snickered, ducking her head underneath his chin. "But I wouldn't have any more periods and that sounds _amazing _to me."

Joker rolled his eyes and pushed himself backward, resting against the back of the tub with her in his arms.

"You know if you do that, you'd never be able to have kids again, right? If you and I don't work out, or something happens to me and you find someone else, you'd never be able to have another..." Jester lifted her head to look at him, surprised when he glared at her and his lips thinned into a tight line.

"Don't _ever _let me hear you say that again. You're the only one for me, the only one I want. I don't care if you leave me, or if I lose you some other way – I'd never, ever find another and I sure as shit wouldn't knock another broad up."

"You'd have to go on with your life, J. You can't just stop living, that's ridiculous."

"Oh?" Joker pinned her with his gaze, gripping her chin gently in his hand. "If I died tomorrow, would you _ever _find another man? Would you eventually settle down with someone new and have _his _children?"

Jester's silence was an answer enough and he smirked at her. "That's what I thought, princess. End of discussion. Now, let's get you all cleaned up and ready – I got a surprise for ya."

"What kind of surprise?" She prodded, giving him a saucy look.

"You know better than that – I'll never tell. Come on, let's wash that pretty hair of yours and get ya into something even prettier."

Jester giggled when he pushed her head back enough to soak her hair and peppered her face with kisses. "I love you, J," she whispered, stroking his face with the back of her hand.

"Oh, baby – I love you _more_."

* * *

"You look beautiful, cuz," Tommy stood up from the glider chair and kissed her cheek, handing a sleeping Ace to her.

"Thank you. How was he?" She held Ace close to her chest, sighing when she felt him nuzzle into the crook of her neck.

"Perfect as always," Tommy answered honestly. He loved and cherished the baby and every single second he got to spend with him. "I don't know what it is about him, there's just this _connection, _you know? Like I've known him all my life, but he's just a baby."

Jester gave him a knowing look and smiled, leaning into his side. "That's exactly how I felt when Mackenzie was born. I just knew in my _soul _that child was meant to be in my life, I had a bond with her I've never felt with anyone else since – well, until this little one right here."

"Kindred spirits," Scarecrow murmured, creeping into the room. "Some people believe in them."

"I do," Jester confirmed. "The bonds I shared with my niece and my father were like no other. I believe."

"You are a vision," Scarecrow gave her a small smile, taking in her white 50's pinup style dress. It had short sleeves that started just below her collarbone, leaving her chest and shoulders exposed. There were tiny black polka dots all over it and fit her like a glove, perfectly complimenting her slim figure and stopping just below her knees. She wore black closed-toe stiletto heels with ribbons that crisscrossed around her ankles and tied at the backs of her mid-calves.

"You guys mean it?" She chewed on her matte burgundy painted bottom lip nervously, looking down and turning a little to try and get a good look at herself.

"Obviously," Joker drawled, entering the room. "This self-conscious nonsense has to stop. You're a smoke show, princess."

She blushed and grinned when he kissed her cheek before kissing Ace's head.

"Call us if you need us," Jester's voice trembled as she handed Ace off to Scarecrow, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout and quivering.

"Oh, stop it," Tommy laughed, pulling her in for a hug. "He'll be fine. Go out and have some fun, you deserve it."

"Indeed," Scarecrow agreed. "You need a night to let loose and dance."

"You guys are the best," Jester crooned, kissing both men on the cheek before showering Ace with kisses.

"Come on, baby. He'll be here when we get home," Joker purred, carefully pulling her away and out of the room. He held her hand as they made their way down the stairs, taking his time so Jester didn't trip or fall in her tall heels.

He took a good look at her, raking his eyes over her from head to toe, smiling a little as he thought about what a lucky man he was. She had her hair done in ringlet curls, pinned back from her face in a 50's pinup style so they were out of her face and cascading down her back. Her makeup was dark and smoky as always, complete with her signature matte burgundy lipstick. The dress she wore was perfect for her – he'd never forget the scream of joy that came from her closet when she tried it on and it fit perfectly. It was a dress she had bought a couple of years ago, long before she met him and before her pregnancy, and she was thrilled that she could get into it. He had purposely told her to dress in 50's style, secretly packing up a strapless aqua green bandage crop top, a black bandage mini skirt and her other black strappy heels he loved so much in a duffel bag that he had Johnny toss into the trunk of the Lambo while she was busy with her hair and makeup. He had a big surprise for her tonight, he'd been planning it since the night Ace was born and had gotten everyone else in the house in on it – except for Doctor Davis, of course.

He had another ring custom made for her and had Johnny pick it up a week ago. He specifically told Johnny to lock it up in the safe in his club office so Jester wouldn't find or see it before it was time. He would've done this with the ring he had originally given her, but she still had it on her finger and he couldn't think of a good plan or reason to take it from her for a few days. Aside from that, he didn't mind spending the money for another one – he loved spoiling her, after all.

He caught Johnny's eye as he escorted Jester through the kitchen and towards the garage door, giving him a short nod to signal it was time. Johnny grinned and calmly made his way to the living room, playing his part.

Joker had made his henchmen aware that the club would be opening later than usual tonight since it was the place he picked for Jester's surprise, making sure they wouldn't be interrupted for a good hour at least. He helped her into the passenger side of the Lambo and made sure she was strapped in tight before taking off like a shot from the garage, speeding recklessly through the back roads and main streets towards Giggles. He grinned like the madman he truly was as she sang her heart out along to the songs that played on the radio, excited to see her reaction once they got to the club and his plan fell into place.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Johnny and Tommy were busy buckling a heavily bundled Ace into his carrier and securing it in the middle of the backseat of the community SUV. Harley and Catwoman were busy packing a diaper bag with everything Ace could need, including enough bottles and formula to last a week. Once everything was packed up and everyone was dressed and ready, they headed out to Giggles. Johnny, Tommy, and Scarecrow took the SUV while Deadshot, Harley and Catwoman rode in the Grand National, keeping close and carefully weaving their way through the back roads just in case they were spotted.

* * *

"Ta-daaa!" Joker spread his arms and spun slowly in the center of the dance floor on the first floor of Giggles, grinning from ear to ear at Jester. The lights were on for once, dimmed for effect in the dramatically dark room. It was 9:00 at night and the entire building was empty, including the parking lot.

"What's this all about?" Jester looked at him skeptically, studying his body language as he moved closer, pulling her by the hand to the center of the dance floor with him.

"Shhh," he whispered, pulling her close to him as if he was about to dance with her. She raised an eyebrow but complied, placing her hand in his and wrapping her free arm around his neck, her head pressed to his chest.

All of a sudden, 'Put Your Head On My Shoulder' by Paul Anka began playing in the background and Joker chuckled, moving slowly to ease her into the slow dance. "Surprise," he whispered, moving her effortlessly around the floor in time with the song.

"_Put your head on my shoulder_

_Hold me in your arms, baby_

_Squeeze me oh, so tight_

_Show me that you love me too_

_Put your lips next to mine, dear_

_Won't you kiss me once, baby?_

_Just a kiss goodnight, maybe_

_You and I will fall in love_

_People say that love's a game_

_A game you just can't win_

_If there's a way_

_I'll find it someday_

_And then this fool will rush in_

_Put your head on my shoulder_

_Whisper in my ear, baby_

_Words I want to hear_

_Tell me, tell me that you love me too_

_Put your head on my shoulder_

_Whisper in my ear, baby_

_Words I want to hear, baby_

_Put your head on my shoulder..." _

Jester chuckled and blinked back her tears, letting Joker control the dance. She couldn't believe what was happening – the Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime, the most deranged and dangerous madman on the streets of Gotham was romancing her to 50's love songs and slow dancing with her. "Now it makes sense," she mused, looking up at him. He had styled his hair with a side part like men did in the 50's and wore a crisp white t-shirt tucked into black jeans with black and white Converse on his feet. He also wore a vintage-looking black leather jacket, but he had slipped it off along with his gun holster and set them aside on an empty table. "It's like Grease in real life," she laughed, letting her head fall back.

Joker dipped her and kissed her, holding her that way for a moment until he got his fill of her. "Whatcha think?" He asked her, gracefully pulling her back up to her feet just as the song changed to 'When A Man Loves A Woman' by Percy Sledge.

A few tears trickled down Jester's face and Joker freed his hand to wipe them away, grinning at her. "That good, huh?"

"I have no words," Jester said hoarsely, grinning back at him. "You've never done anything like this before."

"Oh, I know... I figured it was time to change that." He winked at her before taking her hand back in his and resting his head on top of hers. "You deserve it, princess."

"_When a man loves a woman_

_Can't keep his mind on nothin' else_

_He'll trade the world_

_For the good thing he's found_

_If she's bad he can't see it_

_She can do no wrong_

_Turn his back on his best friend_

_If he put her down_

_When a man loves a woman_

_Spend his very last dime_

_Trying to hold on to what he needs_

_He'd give up all his comfort _

_Sleep out in the rain_

_If she said that's the way it ought to be_

_Well, this man loves a woman_

_I gave you everything I had_

_Trying to hold on to your precious love_

_Baby, please don't treat me bad..."_

"I've never slow danced before," Jester confessed, biting her bottom lip. "Not even with my dad. I was always afraid to dance."

Joker's chuckle rumbled in his chest and she pressed her cheek against him, relaxing as the vibration of it calmed her. "You never did a lot of things before I came along and put your brilliant little brain in a blender."

"I hate to break it to ya, but Damian and Arkham blended my brain. You're the one who scraped me up off the floor and put the pieces back together."

"I like that better," Joker whispered in her ear, sending tingles down her spine and through all the nerve endings in her body. "I'm sorry you never danced with your Daddy, but I'm glad to be your first."

She smiled, stroking the back of his neck with her fingertips. "I am too."

Jester wasn't aware that all of her friends were tucked away in the VIP section with baby Ace in his carrier, sleeping peacefully while his mom and dad danced to some of the sweetest love songs ever made. Even Bane managed to be silent as the grave as he snuck in the backdoor with a handful of his men, watching with a big grin spreading across his masked face. "Looks like the _payaso _knows what he's doing after all," he whispered, watching Jester's face break out into a wide smile as Joker spun her and then pulled her back into his arms, swaying with her so naturally you'd think he'd been dancing like that for ages.

"She has never, ever done this," Tommy murmured, tearing up a little as he watched his cousin have her first real dance. "She was so terrified of being stared at that she hid under a table during my sister's wedding reception. She was the flower girl and I was her escort, she left me standing there by myself among the rest of the wedding party while they did the wedding party intro dance. She refused to dance with her dad, too. I remember he had laughed about it and teased her, but I think it cut him pretty deep. No matter what occasion it was, no matter how old she got, she refused to dance with anyone – she never gave her dad that dance, either."

"Damn," Deadshot muttered, frowning. "What was that all about? Her anxiety?"

"I think so, yeah," Tommy nodded. "That, and it didn't help that everyone in the family always picked on her for how skinny and shy she was. They were only teasing, but they didn't realize how badly it upset her and skyrocketed her anxiety and paranoia. She did everything she possibly could to avoid drawing attention to herself. She's certainly not the same girl anymore, she could give a fuck less about anything now."

"Well, enduring the shit she has and savagely slaughtering your boyfriend will do that to you," Scarecrow whispered. "Arkham will too."

"Throw in a vat of acid and a completely changed appearance and voila! You get a brand new woman." Harley grinned, watching her friend dance effortlessly despite her obvious anxiety and self-consciousness.

"Sounds crazy," Tommy ignored the amused looks everyone shot him and continued, "but I think snapping and killing Damian was the best thing that ever happened to her."

"These two guys, too," Harley added, pointing first to Ace and then to Joker. "Even if the bigger one is a prick sometimes."

They all snickered at that, careful to keep quiet so they didn't ruin Jester's moment. The whole time they stood there, Johnny had been filming everything on a tablet, preparing for the big moment that they were all tensely waiting for. Johnny had slipped the ring to Joker when Joker had given him the duffel bag with a change of clothes for Jester in it and knew Joker had tucked it, without the box, into his pocket.

Finally, the song to cue the moment came on – 'Stand By Me' by Ben E. King – and they all waited with bated breath as it played, watching the pair of clowns closely.

"_When the night has come_

_And the land is dark_

_And the moon is the only light we'll see_

_No, I won't be afraid_

_Oh, I won't be afraid_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me_

_So darlin', darlin' stand by me_

_Oh, stand by me_

_Oh, stand_

_Stand by me, stand by me_

_If the sky that we look upon_

_Should tumble and fall_

_Or the mountains should crumble to the sea_

_I won't cry, I won't cry_

_No, I won't shed a tear_

_Just as long as you stand, stand by me..." _

"Oh, I love this song," Jester sighed.

"Good," Joker purred, slipping his hand out of hers and reaching into his pocket. He still had his other arm around her waist and Jester stopped moving, staring at him quizzically.

"What's wrong?" She asked, stepping back a little to give him space to dig in his jeans pocket.

"Nothin' at all," he singsonged, winking at her as he pulled something from his pocket, hiding it in his fist before getting down on one knee.

"What the fuck," Jester breathed, her eyes a wide as saucers. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, I believe you described it as _'something romantic and quiet,'"_ he grinned at her and opened his fist, revealing a ring she'd never seen before. It was another black gold one, except this one had a large, 1-carat princess cut peridot stone in the center flanked by 14 tiny peridot stones. It was simpler than the ring she already wore but still gorgeous. "The birthstone for August is peridot. Your dad, niece, and Ace were all born in August, so I thought it would make a nice little memento."

"It's gorgeous," Jester sighed, covering her mouth with her hands as she began to sob. Tears flowed freely from her eyes and she couldn't find any words to say, too shocked and blown away by all the events of the night so far.

"I know I've already given you a ring," Joker whispered, taking her left hand in his. "But I fucked it up that time. I got you this one so I could try again..."

"Oh my God," Jester croaked, wiping at her eyes with her free hand as she watched him hold the ring out towards her ring finger, prepared to slip it on.

"Jester Elizabeth Ali – the love of my life, the mother of my child, the calm in my storm – would you pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty please do me the honor of also being my wife?" Joker caught her as she crumpled to her knees, sobbing into his shoulder and staining his white t-shirt with her tears and makeup. He waited patiently for her to collect herself, rubbing her back to soothe her. "Take your time, princess," he cooed, kissing the top of her head.

"Yes," Jester cried into his shoulder. "Yes, yes, yes! A million times yes!"

"Yes?" Joker pulled her way from his shoulder and cupped her cheek in his hand, searching her watery eyes. "You're saying yes?"

"Yes, you jerk!" She let out a watery laugh, peppering his face with kisses while he slipped the ring onto her finger, leaving it just under the other one he had given her. Once it was on and secure, he swept her up into his arms and got to his feet, kissing her softly as he moved them across the floor and to the VIP section where their friends were nearly bursting at the seams with their excitement.

* * *

"**Congratulations!"**

The shouts of her friends startled Jester and she nearly fell out of Joker's arms as she whipped her head around. "What the fuck is going on tonight?!" She was bewildered, looking around at everyone as if they were simply figments of her imagination and might disappear at any moment.

"Did ya think I'd do this without everyone you love here to be a part of it? Besides, they all helped to make this happen," Joker smirked at her and set her down on her feet, smoothing her dress down to get rid of the wrinkles in it.

"This is fucking crazy," Jester muttered, shaking her head. "Wait – where's the baby?!"

"Right here, _Reina," _Bane's voice boomed over all the chatter and Jester shrieked in glee. He had Ace in his arm, tucked into the crook of it and fast asleep despite all the racket surrounding them. He came up to Jester and bent down to kiss her cheek in greeting and held still as she took Ace in her arms. "You look fantastic! Congratulations on the niño and the engagement. The little one is beautiful, he looks so much like you."

Jester blushed and thanked Bane, giving him a one-armed hug. She held Ace close to her, resting her cheek gently on top of his head as she swayed back and forth with him, calming herself with his familiar baby scent and little breaths tickling her skin. Joker was behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing along her shoulder. "You happy?"

"Happiest I've been in ages," she whispered, turning her head to catch his lips in a kiss.

"Let me see those rocks!" Harley screeched, scrambling over and grabbing Jester's left hand, gawking at her rings.

"Damn, Joker, you did a nice job," Deadshot gave a low whistle, peering closely at the rings on Jester's finger.

"It's so good to see you happy," Tommy smiled at her and kissed her cheek, pinching it for good measure. "Looks like I was right." His gaze shifted to Joker and Joker winked at him, excusing himself to speak to Johnny.

"Looks like the club is about to open," Scarecrow observed, watching as the regular fluorescent lights turned off and the black lights came on. Henchmen scurried around the club, making sure everything was clean and good to go before anyone came in.

"You wanna go to the office where it's quiet? Or you wanna stay here?" Scarecrow threw an arm around her and she leaned into him, thinking for a moment.

"You know what, I'd like to hang out on the second floor," she grinned at him and began making her way, flanked by Scarecrow and Bane who never once took their eyes off her or Ace. Everyone else followed, always preferring the second floor to the first, and Joker brought up the tail end with his shoulder holster back on and his jacket slung over his shoulder. He considered changing into the spare suit and shoes he kept in his upstairs office but thought better of it, kind of liking the different look he was sporting tonight.

The rest of the night was loads of fun – Jester stayed in her dress for a while, even dancing to one song in it in a cage closer to the VIP section while Joker watched intently. After a couple of hours, she gratefully accepted the change of clothes Joker had packed for her and changed in the upstairs office where she was guaranteed privacy. When she mentioned changing in the bathroom, Joker nearly went through the ceiling, barking about not trusting anyone not to follow her in and peeping toms. She danced the night away in the center cage behind the bar with Harley while Catwoman stayed behind – her body hurt far too much to try and move like that after their training earlier in the day.

Bane was a lovely guest, as well as his henchmen, much to Jester's delight. She was surprised to find out Joker had purposely invited him. Joker had explained that he noticed how friendly Bane and Jester seemed to be and figured she'd like to have him there. He was right, of course, since they bonded so well all night and Bane was so gentle and sweet with Ace. Watching the way Bane was with Jester and Ace – like a hawk, as per usual – made him realize Bane could be a trusted ally. He made a mental note to be a little less gruff with him from now on.

Joker grinned like the Cheshire Cat as he watched Jester all night – he hadn't seen her smile so much in ages. She was truly happy, letting loose and radiating confidence all night long as she danced and laughed with everyone. He was more than happy sitting in the background in his usual spot, watching her all night as she worked the club and the VIP with her charm. Usually, he'd want her draped over his lap, his arm wrapped tight around her to assert his dominance and possessiveness over her, but tonight he just wanted her to be happy and have all the fun he refused her during her pregnancy.

Scarecrow sat down next to him as the night began winding down, half of the patrons already tabbed out and gone for the night. "She's practically glowing," he murmured, watching Jester laugh with Harley and Catwoman until she wheezed.

"Yeah," Joker agreed, his arms draped loosely over the booth and his legs sprawled out comfortably. He glanced at Ace who was currently being fed by Bane, chuckling at the hulking man as he struggled to bend his arm enough to feed the baby in his lap. He finally gave up and switched his position, leaning back against the booth and stretching his legs out so he could move easier instead of being crouched like he was before. He finally got the bottle in Ace's mouth and his booming laugh cut through the noise in the club, causing a chain reaction of laughter to explode in the VIP section.

"Can't believe she'll be my wife," Joker muttered, looking back at Jester.

"You're telling me," Scarecrow was watching her too, trying to ignore the splintering he felt in his heart as he realized she'd never, ever be his – not in this lifetime.

* * *

About a week later, Jester was finally back at 'work'. She wasn't doing her usual work – the burner phones had been confiscated from all the shelters, thanks to the Bat Family, and she hadn't received calls in months anyway. She brought Tommy with her today to see if he could keep up with her and how he'd do outside of his usual bodyguard/errand boy role. At first, Joker was livid about her leaving the house with just Tommy for protection and an extra set of eyes, but after Deadshot, Harley, and Catwoman swearing up and down she passed all their final 'tests' and would be fine, he relented. Of course, there were conditions; she had to allow him to track her phone and install a GPS device in both of her cars. She agreed, tamping down her irritation in favor of the idea that if anything happened to her, he'd be able to find her.

"Alright Razor," Jester was doing her best to remember to call Tommy by his alias since they were out in public and he was disguised. "You ready?"

He had a hat on with the brim set pretty low, a pair of his own Oakley's big enough to reach his eyebrows and cover up a good portion of his face, and a black bandanna around the bottom half of his face, just under his nose. Aside from that, he wore a black long sleeve form-fitting shirt, black joggers, and a black pair of athletic sneakers. When Jester saw his outfit, she had mentioned to Deadshot and Catwoman that it'd be beneficial for Tommy if they could make him a good set of goggles or glasses that would disguise his face but also help his vision instead of hindering it like sunglasses do.

"Uh... yeah. Yeah, I'm good." He didn't sound too confident and Jester leveled him with a glare.

"Razor, we ain't doing shit in this godforsaken swamp until you're sure. These are Falcone's guys, there is **no room for error. **Do you understand me? No survivors, no witnesses, no messes. In and out."

Tommy nodded, taking a moment to calm himself. "It's just so different from what I'm used to – and these aren't small fries. These are his higher-ranked guys, you know? You remember how your Dad used to talk about Uncle Nick's affiliations and the shit that could've happened to him if he didn't take that bid?"

"That was Uncle Nico – he was _associated_ and took a 30-year bid to earn their favor for the rest of his life. Sounds stupid, but you remember what my dad said the alternative was – Uncle Nico and that whole branch of our family slaughtered like cattle. This is different, Tommy. This is... well, _politics. _J got word that Falcone's trying to make a move against him – Falcone thinks he's gone soft since he's been under the radar for months. We gotta take these guys out – they're in the middle of stealing J's shit, for fuck's sake!"

It was true – they were in the swampy grassland on the edge of the waterline, stationed at J's docks and watching as Falcone's guys broke in and started stealing all of Joker's military-grade 'toys'. They were here to stop it – and fast.

"Listen to me," Jester spoke softly, trying to reassure Tommy. "You're a good shot, you know that. The two of us are more than enough to take them all the fuck out. They won't be aware of us until the third guy goes down, and even then they'll struggle to pinpoint our location. Deadshot trained us both – I don't care what they say about Deathstroke, Deadshot is the best. We can't fail – we won't. You tell me when you're ready and we will get this done and get back home, and J will handle the fallout."

"Shit, my head is already big enough as it is, shorty," Deadshot's voice startled both of them but they were disciplined and smart enough not to make any sudden noises or movements. He crawled up beside them, full gear on, and Jester could practically _feel _him grinning at her. "I had a feeling the kid would need some extra support on his first sniper slaughter."

"I'm fine," Tommy grumbled, a little embarrassed that his mentor had come to his aid without being asked.

"Don't lie to me, T," Deadshot scolded. "Besides, we'll get this shit done faster with me here."

"Cocky prick," Jester teased, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Gimme the word, Razor."

Tommy had his sniper rifle trained on one of the more important looking guys coming out of the warehouse and he took a deep breath, preparing himself. Jester could hear him whispering a 'Hail Mary' under his breath as he tracked the man's movements, trying to remember Deadshot's sniper training – everything was a factor; the air, the wind, the target's movements, gravity, etc. It was tricky and difficult to remember, but he didn't want to fail in front of Jester and Deadshot – he didn't want to get them caught and killed, either. Once he was done with his prayer he nodded at Jester. "Ready."

"Let's get it," Deadshot singsonged quietly, already locked onto his target.

Jester said nothing, choosing her target and waiting for the precise moment that her target turned away from an empty oil barrel, exposing himself to her. As soon as he did, she took her shot, sending the bullet right into his temple and killing him instantly. Fortunately, they had silencers for their guns which helped to keep their position from being compromised.

Tommy and Deadshot took their shots almost in unison, dropping two more men out of 12.

"No slowing down or stopping, we gotta frenzy now." Jester nudged Tommy and Tommy took another deep breath, popping off shots and hitting his targets every time.

Jester was proud of her cousin as he worked with them to take the scattering, frenzied henchmen down, biting back her laughter as they blindly shot towards the marsh and failed to hit them.

Once the last man was down, a little too close to their location for Tommy's comfort, they got up out of the cold, murky, filthy swamp and made their way to the warehouse. It was a chilly, dark day and their clothes clung to them, chilling them to the bone, but they ignored it all and scanned the warehouse for any strays. Once they were sure it was clear, they set to work loading everything up in the semi-trucks Falcone's men were using to try and transport it all.

"Thanks for doing most of the work for us, ya fucks," Jester cackled, stomping one of the corpses that littered the ground and spitting on him in disgust. "That's what ya get when ya fuck with my man!"

Deadshot chuckled as he passed by her with a crate full of grenades, shaking his head. "Still as ruthless as ever."

"Jesus Christ," Tommy groaned, trying not to look at the fractured skull of the man Jester stomped. "Talk about overkill."

"You wanted to come to work with me, Razor. This is what I do – I kill people, and I'm good at it. I'm also a little uh... _enthusiastic_ about it at times."

"You sound just like J when you talk like that," Deadshot mused. "It's adorable."

"Ah, shut up," Jester teased, sticking her tongue out. "Alright, I think that's it. Let's get this shit to the Mansion. I need y'all to drive these, my Range is over by the docks."

"You are _not _walking alone all that way," Deadshot snapped, grabbing her by the wrist and stopping her. "I will drive you to your damn car. You ain't leaving our sight."

"So dramatic," Jester sighed, rolling her eyes. "Have it your way."

"Thank you," Deadshot let go of her and kept his eyes locked on her as she got into the passenger side of the truck with a scowl.

* * *

Joker was in his study at the mansion, pacing as he held Ace, waiting for a phone call or to hear the trucks pull up the driveway. Sure, he knew Jester was damn good at what she did, and he had watched her train for the past couple of months, but having Ace in the picture made him a little nervous about her pulling any jobs. God forbid something happened to her, he wouldn't know what to do – he couldn't raise Ace by himself, and Ace needed his mother.

"It's alright, Ace, your Mama will be home soon. She will. She's a tough broad, ya know." He lifted Ace in both hands, grinning at Ace and chuckling when he smiled. "That's my boy."

He sat down in his leather office chair, holding Ace in his lap with one arm and using the other to pick up his phone. It had been two hours since Jester and Tommy left, and about an hour and a half since Deadshot took off after them, and he couldn't stand waiting anymore. He pulled up the app he used to track Jester's phone and sighed in relief when he saw that she was in her car and halfway back to the mansion already. "Took her long enough," he growled, setting the phone back down and taking a swig of his whiskey.

A knock at the door drew his attention and he called for whoever it was to come in. Catwoman sauntered into the office and gracefully lowered herself into the leather chair on the other side of the desk, grinning when she saw Ace in Joker's lap. "How's the little man?" She asked, watching as Ace wriggled in Joker's grip.

"Feisty today, he misses his Mama," Joker stroked Ace's cheek with his fingers, bouncing him slightly on his knee to keep him from squirming.

"She hasn't been gone too long, I'm sure they'll be back soon."

"She's already halfway home, I checked the GPS."

Catwoman smirked, leaning back in her seat. "Of course you did," she teased.

"Is there a reason for this intrusion?" Joker rolled his eyes and draped his free arm lazily over the arm of his chair.

"There is. I'm almost done with Jester's bodysuit. I got my claws on some Kevlar, she'll be well-protected in it. It's heat resistant and nearly bulletproof. I also took the liberty of making Kevlar gloves and custom boots for it."

"I like that," Joker purred, a wide grin spreading across his face. "When will it be ready?"

"Another week, I'd say. It's not easy making these things, especially when it was so tricky to get her damn measurements right. She's so small!"

Joker chuckled at the frustrated pout Catwoman was currently sporting. "I, uh, appreciate it," he assured her. "She's gonna love it."

"I know she hates feeling restricted in her clothing so I didn't make the bodysuit with long sleeves. The top is pretty much like those beater-style tank tops she wears, scoop neck and all. I also didn't make the gloves long – they'll cover her hands, but they stop just before her wrists."

Joker nodded, looking thoughtful. "No latex, right?"

"None. I know she's allergic. It's made of a dark purple snakeskin leather and spandex – to match her lovely hair, of course. She'll be able to move freely and she'll be comfortable." Catwoman was grinning, proud of herself and her work.

"Snakeskin leather, you say?" Joker's eyes glittered with mischief and Catwoman rolled her eyes.

"It is _not _for the bedroom, Joker! It's for her safety, remember? I just customized it to her tastes, that's all."

"You might have to make her another one, kitty cat," Joker growled, shooting her a wink.

"You're disgusting," Catwoman scowled at him, giving him a dark look.

"Ah, but she loves it."

Catwoman rolled her eyes and got up from her chair, making her way around the desk and holding her arms out. "Give me that precious baby," she cooed, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the big smile on Ace's face.

"Alright, alright," Joker begrudgingly handed Ace to her, feeling empty once the child was out of his grasp. "He's gotta eat soon anyway."

"I'm on it," Catwoman called over her shoulder, already making her way out of the office and towards the kitchen.

* * *

"There she is," Joker crooned, snaking his arms around Jester's waist as soon as she walked into the kitchen from the garage. "How'd it go?"

Jester gave him a dark look and crossed her arms over her abdomen. "Oh, it went well. I was teaching Tommy and then Deadshot showed up to 'help', which I'm sure you had a hand in..."

Joker laughed, pulling her closer to him and ignoring the dampness from her clothes seeping into his. "So cranky! You should take a nap, princess, it's been a long morning for ya."

Jester was about to argue but thought better of it, coming to terms with how exhausted she truly felt. She was still damp and cold from the marsh and she was worn out from all the sleepless nights. "Alright, fine. One condition – I want you or Ace to nap with me. I hate napping alone."

Joker nodded, running his fingers through her damp, dirty hair. "How about both of us? No offense, baby, but you should probably take a shower first. You smell like a swamp."

"That's because we had to lay _in _the god damn swamp to get this job done," her tone was bitter and cold and Joker recoiled a little.

"I didn't realize you wouldn't strike from overhead like usual. Why the swamp?"

"Better cover," Jester answered simply, giving a half shrug. "It worked. Got the job done quick and easy. Tommy and Deadshot are loading everything into the shed out back as we speak – the one you said is in the far corner behind the treeline."

Joker nodded. "Excellent. You go upstairs and get showered and ready for your nap and I'll go out with Johnny to help the boys. I'll be back before you fall asleep, I promise."

Jester gave him a skeptical look but nodded anyway, sprinting up the stairs to the master bedroom. The more she moved, the more uncomfortable and gross her clothes felt. She couldn't wait to get them off and wash the filth off of her skin and out of her hair.

After a long, hot shower Jester twirled her damp hair into a bun at the nape of her neck and threw on the t-shirt she always slept in, slipping under the covers and curling up on her side. True to his word, Joker came in shortly after with Ace in his arms, fed and ready for a nap.

"Look who it is," he whispered to Ace, giving him to Jester when she reached out for him. He stripped off his clothes, leaving only his briefs on and crawled into bed beside her. "I'm gonna put him in his bassinet in a little bit," he whispered, knowing Jester hated sleeping without the baby in her arms. The truth was, they did it only rarely because Jester tossed, turned, and thrashed in her sleep more often than not and they were worried she'd accidentally hurt him.

"Fine," she grumbled, holding Ace close to her and breathing in his baby scent. "Gimme 10 minutes with him."

Joker laughed at the request, kissing her shoulder. Her voice was already raspy and low, a telltale sign she was going to be out for the count within the next minute or two. "Of course," he murmured, slipping his arms under her shirt and wrapping them tight around her bare middle. "Mmm, so soft... It's a shame we can't do anything naughty."

Jester chuckled, pressing herself more firmly against him, craving his body heat and his touch. "Once you get snipped, we can be as naughty as you want," she promised.

"Soon," Joker assured her, planting lazy, soft kisses along her neck and shoulder. "Very soon."

Jester fell asleep quickly, succumbing to her exhaustion. Joker slipped out of bed and carefully pried Ace from the death grip she had on him, doing his best not to wake her or the baby as he moved him to his bassinet. He tucked Ace in, planting the stuffed elephant next to him and kissed him on the head. As always, he took a few moments to just watch Ace sleep, smiling to himself as he did. "Sweet dreams, kiddo," he whispered, walking away from the bassinet and slipping back into bed with Jester. He wrapped himself around her and held her tight, burying his face in the crook of her neck and falling asleep almost as quickly as she had. Being a new parent, as it turned out, was exhausting.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything aside from my own OC's.**

* * *

Joker, Jester, Harley, Deadshot, and Scarecrow all sauntered into Carmine Falcone's club with an air of arrogance and ruthlessness that caused even Falcone's men to falter a little.

"Carmine Falcone!" Joker singsonged, making his way to the booth where Falcone sat with one arm around Jester's waist and his free hand clutching his cane. He laughed when Falcone's two bodyguards blocked his path and drew their guns from their holsters in a clear threat. Jester laughed with him, sizing up the two men and twirling a lock of plum hair in her fingers.

"How precious," Jester jabbed, winking at one of the bodyguards when he glared at her.

Carmine Falcone cleared his throat, successfully getting the attention of his bodyguards and the rest of his henchmen in the club. "Let him through," Falcone drawled, motioning for his bodyguards to move out of the way. The two men obeyed, retreating to their original posts on either side of Falcone to stand guard.

Joker grinned wickedly at both men, taunting them with his amusement, and sat down opposite Falcone in the booth. He spread his legs and rested his cane against one of them before pulling Jester down into his lap, wrapping his arms loosely around her waist. "What's wrong, Falcone? I thought you'd be happy to see me," Joker leaned forward, catching Falcone's eye.

"What do you want, clown?" Falcone sounded as bored as he looked.

"Oh, nothing," Joker drawled, flicking his wrist in dismissal at the aging mobster's question. "I've come to uh... _return _some things that belong to ya."

Falcone leaned back in his seat, raising a cool eyebrow at Joker. "What could you possibly have that belongs to me?"

Joker said nothing, simply holding a hand out towards Scarecrow without breaking eye contact with Falcone. Scarecrow, Deadshot, and Harley were standing to the side of the booth, watching the entire exchange like hawks and keeping an eye on Falcone's henchmen. Scarecrow grinned wolfishly, handing Joker a briefcase that was different from the one he usually carried. Jester met Scarecrow's eyes and they winked at each other, excited for what was coming.

Before Joker could open it, Falcone's bodyguards snatched the briefcase from his hands and opened it themselves, clearly expecting a bomb. What they found wasn't a bomb, but still quite concerning. The briefcase was full of human hands – dead, necrotic hands that had been severed from what looked like several different men. The two bodyguards recoiled, holding their noses to try and ward off the stench of rotting flesh that was emanating from the briefcase. Falcone wrinkled his nose in disgust and glared at Joker, seething.

"What is this? One of your _jokes?" _

"Oh, it's not a joke," Joker's amused expression was long gone, replaced with a dark and serious one. "You know what they do to thieves in the Middle East? They uh... they cut their hands off. Inside this briefcase are twelve hands – one from each mongrel you sent to my docks to rob me a week ago."

Falcone laughed, closing the briefcase and shoving it away from him. "What makes you think these belong to my guys? How do you know they weren't Maroni's?" He smirked at Joker, folding his hands neatly together on the table. "You've got a lot of enemies, clown. Anybody could've orchestrated that job – after all, word on the street is that you've gone soft."

Joker's laughter was humorless and chilling, making some of Falcone's men shift nervously where they stood. Jester wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his cheek, meeting Falcone's eyes when his attention shifted to her.

"You wanna know what they do to _liars_ in the Middle East?" Jester taunted him, looking every bit like the cat that got the canary. "They cut out their tongues."

The tension in the room reached its breaking point when she pulled the switchblade Joker had given her from her tactical belt, released the blade and had it pointed about two inches away from Falcone's chin in what seemed like a heartbeat.

Falcone's two bodyguards and the rest of his men already had their guns drawn and aimed at the two clowns and their 'entourage'. Harley, Scarecrow, and Deadshot shared a laugh, looking around at all the men that seemed to outnumber them.

"What's so funny?" Falcone eyed Harley, Deadshot, , and Scarecrow suspiciously. "You using your clown serum on your cronies now?"

Joker chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, those aren't my cronies," he countered. "I'm sure a man of _your _caliber recognizes a man like Deadshot," he pointed to Deadshot who was in full gear and grinned. "And how could you forget one of the greatest Doctors to ever grace Arkham _and_ Blackgate? Doctor Crane," Joker pointed at Scarecrow who smirked at Falcone, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "As for these two," Joker gestured to Harley and Jester, "meet Harley Quinn and my Queen, Jester. I'm sure you've heard about them – Jester especially. Most lethal woman to hit Gotham's streets in ages." Harley barked at Falcone and his men, snapping her teeth and cackling while Jester shot Falcone a wink, still pointing her blade at him.

Falcone laughed, signaling for his men to relax once more. "What, did you all come from the circus in a little clown car to declare war with me?"

"War?" Joker raised an eyebrow at him before looking to Jester, Harley, Scarecrow, and Deadshot. They all burst out laughing at the man's audacity. "I'd hardly call it a war, Falcone." he reached into his jacket pocket and grinned as he pulled a small plastic bag from it. He opened the bag and pulled out what looked like human teeth, one by one until they were arranged in a wide, toothy grin on the tabletop. "Recognize these?" Joker asked, cocking his head at Falcone.

Falcone carelessly brushed the teeth away from him, looking mildly disgusted. "Be careful, clown. You seem to forget you're in _my _territory. Get to the point."

"Poor Luca," Joker gave a low whistle, rearranging the teeth back into a grin with an expression of pure glee on his pale, tattooed face. "You know Falcone if I hadn't already known he was your cousin I wouldn't have believed it. He screamed like a bitch as I ripped his teeth out one by one with a pair of pliers. He _begged _me for mercy – cried like a baby!" Joker cackled at the rage that contorted Falcone's expression, mocking him.

"What did you do to Luca?" Falcone demanded, motioning for all of his men to draw their guns.

Deadshot chuckled under his helmet and took a look around, sizing up their opponents and forming a plan. Harley was grinning from ear to ear, swinging her Louisville slugger lazily at her side. Scarecrow's right hand twitched, itching to pull his mask from his pocket. His gauntlet was in his other pocket, loaded up with enough fear toxin to break the minds of every man in the room about 5 times over. He was thankful for the cold weather giving him an excuse to wear the trench coat that he was – the pockets were the perfect size to hold his 'tools'.

"I just told ya," Joker mused. "I ripped all his pretty white teeth right out of his skull and brought them here to you."

"Luca is alive, then?" Carmine was turning red in his rage, a big vein in his forehead bulging.

Jester examined her nails as if she was bored by the conversation. "I got sick of the screaming and crying and strangled him. I was gonna dump him in the same swamp your men are currently rotting in, but J convinced me we should bring his remains here. After all, you can't spell 'slaughter' without 'laughter'!"

"You little _bitch_," Falcone hissed, slamming his hands down on the table and looming menacingly over her, almost nose-to-nose with her. Jester still had her knife pointed just under his chin and smiled at him before slicing deep into his skin with the tip of the blade.

"I was gonna say, I wouldn't call her that if I were you..." Joker leaned back, releasing Jester from his grip and grinned at Falcone and his men as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"You're making a big mistake, Clown," Falcone warned, still keeping up his tough bravado despite the blade embedded in the underside of his chin. "You must have forgotten who you're dealing with! I'm Carmine Falcone! I _own_ Gotham! I run this city! I own the mayor, the DA, the judges, and all the muscle in this city! You and your little circus won't make it out of here alive!"

Joker giggled, putting his hand over his face and mocking Falcone with the goofy grin tattooed on his hand. He simply laughed, his eyes lit up with mischief. He wasn't concerned in the least – they had already cased this place all week and they knew exactly who and what they were dealing with. He also knew Jester had already clocked the subtle movements of Falcone's two bodyguards.

Just before the two bodyguards were able to take their shots at Jester and Joker with the shotguns they had mounted underneath the table, both clowns dove out of the way and Scarecrow quickly put on his mask and slipped his hand inside his gauntlet. Harley was already leaping over the table, swinging her bat and bringing it down on the skull of the bodyguard to Falcone's right as Deadshot used his wrist guns to take out the bodyguard on the left and the henchmen trying to creep up behind Scarecrow.

Joker and Jester were mirror images of each other, grinning menacingly with their guns drawn from their holsters. "You go left, I'll go right," Joker muttered, shooting her a wink before he took off and jumped onto a table, cackling as he lit up the henchmen on his side of the room while Jester dove under a table on her side and took out as many henchmen as she could. Deadshot was doing what he did best – using his wrist guns to take out as many men as he could without even moving an inch. Scarecrow was using the distraction of all of the commotion to advance on a very nervous looking Falcone, the orange glow of the grin and eyes on his mask further unnerving the old mobster. "I wonder..." Scarecrow's voice was gruff underneath the mask, sending chills down Falcone's spine. "What do _you_ fear?"

Harley was flipping, somersaulting, swinging, and leaping through the air as she made her way around the club, every move more flawless and fluid than the last. She used only her bat, giggling as she swung on the henchmen still standing like Babe Ruth. "Batter up!" She screeched, bringing her bat down hard on one of the men, immediately smashing his skull with the force of the blow. "HARLEY QUINN KNOCKS ANOTHER ONE OUTTA THE PARK!" She danced on the table she was currently standing on, sticking her tongue out at the henchmen creeping up towards her looking quite apprehensive. "Aw, come on guys! I wanna play!" She mock-pouted before backflipping off the table. She wrapped her thighs around one of their heads as she moved, landing gracefully on her hands and using her legs to slam the man's head into the floor.

Jester was cackling under her table at Harley's antics. She crawled out and popped up behind an unsuspecting henchman and wrapped her garrote around his throat, shooting Harley a saucy wink before she went to work strangling the son of a bitch. "Can't let you have all the fun, Harls," Jester mock-scolded, grinning at her friend as she slowly choked the life out of the taller man.

"Lemme help ya with that," Harley grinned, grabbing the man by the hair and yanking his head forward so the garrote was stretched tighter across his throat. "Ugh, it's so annoying when they just refuse to _die," _she sighed, yanking harder at his head until she felt his blood spatter on her cheek. "Oopsie!" The two women laughed gleefully, ripping the man's throat apart in their efforts to kill him.

"There is nowhere for you to go, Falcone," Scarecrow taunted the man, backing him into the corner of the booth as he advanced on him, flexing the needle-pointed fingertips of his gauntlet at him. "Just accept your fate and face your fears..." Scarecrow glanced around the room surrounding them, motioning with his head towards Harley and Jester as they savagely tore apart one of Falcone's men. "Perhaps you'd prefer it if I threw you to the... what was it you said? Oh yes... the _circus." _

"Fuck you," Falcone spat, glaring at Scarecrow. "I'm not scared of any of you!"

"What did Jester say about liars?" Joker's voice drew Falcone's attention. He was leaning over the table from the other side of the booth, covered in blood and grinning wickedly. His eyes were darker than usual and Scarecrow grinned under his mask, knowing that Joker was on the cusp of Madness. Joker pulled his gold butterfly knife from his pocket and flicked it open with the expertise and skill of a man who'd done it for years. He pressed the tip of the blade to the corner of Falcone's mouth and giggled. "Open wide," Joker snarled.

"Fuck you, clown!" Falcone spat, giving Joker a dark, defiant look.

"I appreciate the offer, old man, but I've got that area covered." Joker winked at Falcone and motioned with his free hand towards Jester. "She's a lot nicer to look at, too."

"You won't get away with this," Falcone threatened, keeping his eyes on Scarecrow and Joker at all times from the corner of the booth. "The DA, the GCPD, the other crime bosses... they'll be all over you like white on rice! They'll hunt you down, Joker. Arkham will be the least of your worries!"

"Do I look worried to you?" Joker's tone was deceptively calm. He stuck the blade further into Falcone's mouth and nicked his tongue with the blade, his eyes flashing when he saw the first droplet of blood seeping out from the corner of his mouth. "I killed Black Mask and took over his empire. I killed your pathetic cousin Luca, and now I'm going to kill _you_. Do you really think I'm worried about the DA, the GCPD, or the other half-wit goons in this city?"

Scarecrow laughed with Joker, shaking his masked head at Falcone. "Oh, Falcone – you think any of us fear anyone in this city? _We _own this city. _We _are the boogeymen."

Joker thrust his thumb in Scarecrow's direction, nodding. "He's right, you know. We are the boogeymen. There's a reason no one has touched me – not when I killed Black Mask, not when I was in Arkham, and not since – even with the rumors about me going uh... _soft. _I'm the Clown Prince of Crime – _I own Gotham!_" Joker's eyes turned black and his voice was a low, venomous snarl. "Don't worry, Falcone – your mother will be joining you shortly."

Falcone's eyes went wide. Before he could say or do anything, Scarecrow jammed his needle-tipped fingers into his chest and cackled, releasing enough fear toxin into the old mobster to break his mind in 5 minutes.

As Falcone screamed and writhed in the fetal position where he was trapped in the booth, Joker giggled gleefully. Scarecrow held Falcone's head down and kept it still so Joker could cut out his tongue. Joker grinned maniacally at Scarecrow before prying the man's mouth open and jamming his knife inside it, sawing through Falcone's tongue in such a grisly fashion it even made Scarecrow's stomach churn a little. Once it was done, Joker pulled the meaty, bloody muscle from the man's mouth. He reached for the briefcase full of hands and dumped it out on the table, emptying it before sticking the tongue in it. He bagged up all of Luca's teeth and tossed the sealed bag into the briefcase with a chuckle, closing and locking the briefcase once he was done. "Mementos for Mama Falcone!"

Jester and Harley giggled like madwomen as their efforts sawed the henchman's head off. When it hit the ground, Harley kicked it as hard as she could across the club's floor, shouting 'GOAL!' when it crashed through a window. Jester cackled wickedly where she stood, throwing her arms up and cheering for Harley.

Deadshot was already by Joker and Scarecrow, the three men watching Harley and Jester in awe and in Deadshot's case, exasperation.

"Y'all about done?" Deadshot shook his head at them, taking off his helmet so he could breathe a little better and cool off.

Jester and Harley shrugged and casually made their way over to the men, all of them scanning the room once more to make sure everyone was good and dead and there were no witnesses left hanging around. Once they were satisfied, they set to work burning the club to the ground using matches and lighter fluid. As soon as the fire was successfully started and began climbing the walls and curtains, they took off like bats out of hell for the exit and the Range Rover. They watched the club burn in amusement for a few minutes before taking off as fast as they could, wanting to get outta there before Gordon or Batman showed up to ruin their fun.

* * *

The next morning Jester woke up to her burner phone ringing, the incoming call from an unknown number. Joker stirred next to her, lifting his head a little and glaring in the direction the shrill ringing was coming from. "Answer it or I will destroy it," he growled, plopping his head back down on the pillows and covering his face.

"I don't know who it is," Jester muttered, her brows furrowed as she stared at the screen.

"Christ," Joker hissed, snatching the phone from her and answering it, making sure to put it on speakerphone. "Speak," he commanded, the grogginess in his voice hardly intimidating.

"_Payaso?_" Bane's voice boomed through the phone and a small smile crept across Jester's face.

"Bane?" She called, putting her head closer to the phone.

"Ah, _Jefa. _I was hoping to speak with you. I need your assistance."

Joker thrust the phone at Jester and rolled over, trying desperately to block out the noise so he could sneak in a few more minutes of sleep. "Take the god damn thing off speakerphone," he grumbled, putting a pillow over his head.

Jester giggled and took the call off of speakerphone, holding the phone up to her ear. "What can I do for ya, Bane?" Despite her raspy voice, she sounded quite cheery.

"I have inherited a _niña_," Bane's tone had gone from his usual cheery boom to melancholy and Jester frowned.

"You inherited a baby?"

"Sí, _Mortifera. _I'm afraid it's a long story. Would you meet with me?"

"Of course," Jester slipped out of bed and made her way to her closet, sifting through her clothes as she thought of a place to meet with the giant villain. "The docks are a bit sketchy at the moment and the club might be, too. J won't let me go too far, you understand. Do you have a place in mind?"

"Port Adams," Bane suggested, giving Jester a moment to think it over.

Jester pulled out a long sleeve pastel pink shirt, a pair of black thermal leggings and her black faux leather boots that went halfway up her calves. She pulled a pair of long fuzzy socks from her drawer and a purple lace bra along with a matching lace thong. "You got it, _hombre_. I'll be there in an hour."

"_Bueno_," Bane chirped, ending the call right after.

Jester made her way to the bathroom with her change of clothes and turned on the shower, using her other phone to play music. Once she settled on a song she liked, she stepped into the shower and sang as she went through her daily routine, trying to wake herself up and get motivated for what she felt would be a long, eventful day.

"What the fuck was that about?"

Jester groaned, rolling her eyes as Joker's gruff, irate voice broke her out of her nice little daydream. "He needs my help, I'm meeting him at Port Adams in an hour."

"The hell you are," Joker barked, sliding open the glass shower door. He stepped in, ducking his head under the spray of water and running his hands through it.

Jester crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, annoyed by his intrusion and his foul mood. "Are you done?"

Joker advanced on her and pinned her against the shower wall, caging her in with his arms on either side of her. "You are _not_ going to meet him," he glared at her, his lips in a tight line.

"You need to fucking relax," Jester snapped, trying to push him away to no avail. "Come _on_, J, I wanna shower and get ready so I can go!"

"You're. Not. Going."

"What the fuck is your problem? You invite him to your surprise proposal, acknowledging that he and I are friends, but when he needs my help you refuse to let me go meet with him?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't like it," Joker offered, giving a half shrug. "I don't want you going out there – not alone, at least."

"Then come with me," Jester offered, sighing.

"Fine," Joker conceded, backing off of her.

"Thank you, grumpy gills," she rolled her eyes and turned her back to him, washing her face and squirting some shampoo into her hands.

"Let me," Joker murmured, taking the shampoo from her hands and lathering it into her hair, massaging her scalp as he washed it.

"Oh, _now _you want to be nice," Jester jabbed, turning her head slightly to glare at him.

"I'm tired, Jester," Joker sounded as exasperated as he looked, cracking his neck as he continued caressing her scalp.

"I am too, but _I'm_ not being a bitch."

Joker sighed, tilting her head back to rinse her hair. Once the shampoo was gone, he turned her around and pushed her back up against the wall, pressing his lips to hers in a heated kiss.

Despite her irritation, she returned the kiss and melted into him, pulling him closer to her until their wet bodies were pressed against each other. "He told me he inherited a baby," Jester muttered as she pulled away, watching his face to see his reaction.

Joker looked genuinely puzzled. "What?"

"Yeah... that's what I said. He said it's a long story, I'm sure he'll fill me in at Port Adams."

Joker simply nodded, cupping her face in his hands and stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. "I guess we should bring Ace along, then?"

"Of course," Jester grinned at him and pressed another kiss to his lips. "Help me?" She batted her eyelashes at him as she held up her loofah and her body wash.

Joker's face broke out in a grin and he happily obliged, taking his sweet time washing every single inch of her soft skin, enjoying the little bit of peace that they'd have all day.

Once they were both showered, dressed and ready, they made their way to Ace's room only to discover that he wasn't there. It wasn't abnormal or surprising, little Ace was the apple of everyone's eye in the house. "I wonder who's got him this time," Jester mused, grinning as she made her way out of the room and downstairs in search of her son and her friends.

They found Ace in the kitchen with Johnny, Tommy, and Catwoman. He was happy as a clam, sitting in Catwoman's lap as she cooed at him and peppered his face and hands with kisses.

"I hate to break up the party but we're taking the little one out to meet Bane," Jester announced, leaning against the door frame.

"Aw, shucks," Johnny muttered, pouting slightly.

Jester laughed, coming over and ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, I'm sure we won't be gone long."

After saying their goodbyes, making cups of coffee to go and packing up a diaper bag for Ace, Joker and Jester got him strapped into his car seat in the Range Rover and took off towards Port Adams, curious as to how someone like Bane _inherits _a baby. Ace was a bit fussy in the car so Jester turned on a slow, melancholy song to sing along to, hoping it would calm him.

"_I felt empty space, never could explain_

_Like you were erased, never could replace_

_Now it's so clear with you right here_

_Like you were never gone_

_Picked up where we left off_

_Like you were never gone_

_You were always coming home_

_Yeah, you were always close_

_Like you were never gone_

_You were never gone_

_You were never gone_

_How it's meant to be, you held the key_

_Now promise me you'll never leave_

_Time slipped away, we stayed the same_

_Like you were never gone_

_Picked up where we left off_

_Like you were never gone_

_You were always coming home_

_Yeah, you were always close_

_Like you were never gone..."_

Joker grinned at her, resting his hand on her thigh, giggling at the way Ace instantly quieted and calmed down at the sound of his mother's voice. "_Definitely_ my son," Joker muttered, glancing back at Ace who was smiling happily in his car seat. "Mama's voice fixes everything, doesn't it?"

Jester grinned as she sang, not skipping a beat, and made sure to keep an eye out for any tails as she drove to Port Adams. She never imagined she could be so happy or that her heart could be so full. Something as simple as being in a car with Joker and their son was the highlight of her day, making her feel better than she had in her entire lifetime.

* * *

Jester never thought in a million years that she'd see Bane holding an infant, yet here he was.

"Oh, she's beautiful!" Jester was cooing at the baby while Joker stood off to the side holding Ace close to his chest. "What's her name?" Jester looked up into Bane's face and gave him a small, reassuring smile as she reached out for the child. Bane handed her off, grinning at Jester and the way she cradled the little girl in her arms, swaying slowly with her to calm her down as she fussed.

"Reina," Bane answered, watching as Jester soothed the infant. "Her father was one of my men."  
"Was?" Joker came closer, peering down at the infant in Jester's arms. She had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, olive skin and looked terrified of him. He backed off a little, amused at the way his son peered down at the girl.

"He was killed," Bane said plainly, perfectly masking the pain he was feeling from losing a comrade. "GCPD raided one of our garages."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Jester freed up an arm and rubbed Bane's back soothingly. "Is that what you meant when you said you inherited Reina?"

Bane nodded. "Her mother died giving birth to her – she is an orphan now."

"Oh, no she's not," Jester countered, smiling down at little Reina. "She's still got a big family, she's got you and the rest of your men to look after her."

"I don't know how to take care of a _niña," _Bane explained, giving Jester a confused look. "I grew up in a prison in Santa Prisca, I don't know anything about babies."

"Ah, so that's what you needed help with," Jester smirked at him and handed Reina back to him, chuckling at the way he held her with both arms even though it wasn't necessary with his size. Bane nodded and Jester pat him on the arm. "No problem, Bane. We've got some extra supplies and formula at the house, possibly an extra car seat too."

Joker rolled his eyes when Jester looked at him, already knowing what she was about to ask him. "Fine," he sighed, making his way back to the Range Rover and buckling Ace back into his car seat.

"Is that your guy?" Jester ignored Joker as he muttered curses under his breath, struggling a little with the buckles for the car seat. She pointed at a man standing over by the H1 Bane showed up in.

Bane nodded. "Si, that's my right-hand man Ruiz."

At the mention of his name, Ruiz gave Jester a polite nod and a small wave. Jester smiled and waved back before turning to make her way back to the Range Rover. "Follow us. Make sure you don't get tailed on the way."

Bane nodded. "_Gracias, Mortifera."_

Jester made her way through the garage towards the door to the kitchen, chuckling when she was met by Karma and Hades who were both baring their fangs and snarling. "Enough," she whispered, patting them both on the head. "Back off."

The dogs did as she bade, moving out of her way and allowing Joker, Ace, Bane, Ruiz and little Reina through to the kitchen.

"Beautiful beasts," Bane complimented, smirking at the dogs as they watched every move he made. "Guard dogs?"

"Oh yes," Jester answered, fixing two bottles – one for Ace and the other for Reina. "Cane Corsos – Italian Mastiffs. They're a guarding breed. They were bred to protect their families, livestock, and property from humans, wolves, and coyotes alike. They were also used for entertainment – bullfighting, to be precise. They're tough dogs."

Bane nodded, handing Reina back to Jester when she reached for her. Once his arms were free, he slowly approached both dogs and scratched them behind the ears, hoping they'd see that he wasn't a threat to their master or their home. Karma and Hades relaxed, sitting down and enjoying the attention they were getting.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tommy came into the kitchen from the slider door and quirked an eyebrow, looking to Joker for answers.

Joker still had Ace in his arms, rocking him to keep him occupied. "Don't ask me," he muttered dismissively, returning his attention to Ace.

"Bane has inherited a baby," Jester answered coolly, smiling at her cousin. "You remember Bane, don't you? That's his right hand, Ruiz, and this is little Reina," Jester grinned down at the infant in her arms and gently tapped her little nose.

Tommy gave Bane and Ruiz a nod before approaching his cousin and taking a look at the baby in her arms. "She's a beautiful baby," Tommy complimented, smiling down at her.

"Thank you," Bane said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say or do at the moment.

Once the two bottles were cooled off enough and ready, Jester sat down at the kitchen island and draped a cloth over her shoulder before putting a bib on Reina. Joker was doing the same with Ace, taking a seat next to her and shifting Ace so he and Reina were able to look at each other.

"You make this look easy," Bane muttered, peering over Jester's shoulder as she fed Reina.

Jester giggled. "It is easy," she supplied, looking up at him. "You'll get the hang of all of this."

"If I can do it, you sure as hell can," Joker added. "But I'll warn you – baths are scary shit."

"Oh my god," Jester rolled her eyes and laughed. "He's afraid he'll accidentally drown Ace, which is ridiculous."

"Not so ridiculous," Bane reasoned. "They're so tiny! How do you bathe them without submerging them?"

"Oh boy," Jester murmured, smiling down at Reina. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, huh?"

A couple of hours later, both babies were napping safely in Ace's crib, wrapped up tight with blankets and in comfy onesies. Jester had pulled a few empty boxes from storage and filled them with extra blankets, clothes, bottles, nipples, formula, bibs, diapers, wipes, ointments, and other items Bane would need to take proper care of Reina.

Jester had brought Reina, Bane, and Ruiz to Doctor Davis and made introductions. Doctor Davis had examined Reina and deemed her healthy and well-fed and even held her for a little while, complimenting Bane on how pretty the infant was. She was patient with Bane, answering all the questions he had and giving him some tips and tricks she had learned over the years and assuring him that Reina would be fine.

Jester, Joker, Tommy, Bane, Ruiz, Catwoman, Scarecrow, and Johnny all sat in the living room making small talk while Harley and Deadshot were outside training in the boxing ring they had built, talking about how they all came together as allies and friends and what it was like living together. Bane was very impressed with their camaraderie and patience with each other, laughing at the stories about house parkour, the giant sleepover they all had down the hall from the master bedroom when Ace was first born, Ivy's plants snapping at Joker every time he entered the greenhouse, the arguments they'd have over who was babysitting Ace on what night, and all the other shenanigans they all got into with each other on a daily basis.

"You know, Bane, I'd be happy to babysit Reina for you when you have jobs to do," Jester smiled sweetly at him over her mug of hot chocolate.

Bane grinned. "I would be most grateful," he said. "I'm sure she will need women around at some point. I can't imagine a little girl growing up around a bunch of men with no females around to teach her the things we cannot."

"We'd be more than happy to help," Catwoman purred, winking at Bane. "After all, us girls have to look out for each other."

"Preach!" Jester pumped her fist into the air, making everyone laugh.

"Oh boy," Joker mused, grinning at Bane. "Looks like you're stuck with us, luchador. Once Jester sets her sights on something, you can't stop her."

"Fine by me," Bane chuckled. "I do enjoy spending time with you – even you, _payaso_. You don't get on my nerves as much these days."

"Fatherhood has made him a little more tolerable," Scarecrow mused, smirking at Joker when he glowered at him.

Tommy and Johnny both laughed at that, nodding in agreement. "Ain't that the truth," Tommy declared.

"Ah, shut up," Joker muttered, crossing his arms haughtily over his chest.

"The two of you and Reina are welcome here anytime," Jester said seriously, catching Bane's attention. "She has the two of you and all of us to take care of her and raise her. She may be an orphan, but she'll be raised as part of this family. You don't have to do this alone."

Bane stood from his seat and scooped Jester up in his arms, hugging her tight but not too tight, afraid of hurting her by accident. "_Muchas_ _gracias_, _Jefa._"

"No problem!" Jester rubbed his head affectionately before he put her down, giggling. "Now listen to me – say goodbye to sleep. Forever. Never again will you have a full night of sleep. She's gonna wake you up repeatedly in the middle of the night because she's hungry and you'll have to get up and feed her, burp her, and change her. Parenting is hard as fuck."

Joker nodded in agreement. "What she said."

"How do I know how much? Or if the bottle is too hot?" Bane looked terrified for a moment before regaining his composure and Jester pat his arm.

Jester shot Joker an apologetic look before turning her attention back to Bane. "Here's what I'll do – why don't you, Ruiz, and Reina stay here for a week so we can help you out? Consider it training. After a week you should have it all down pat and be able to do it on your own with your guys. We had everyone here helping us out since I was pregnant and especially after he was born – you need some help, too." She ignored the way Joker groaned from his chair and Bane mulled it over for a moment before nodding.

"I appreciate that, little one," he murmured. "Very much."

"Yes! Two babies!" Catwoman grinned at Jester and wiggled excitedly in her chair. "I call dibs on the first night babysitting!"

"Bullshit!" Tommy argued, glaring at her. "No way! I want first dibs!"

"Tommy, we can babysit them _together," _Catwoman winked at him and Tommy settled down, shooting her a goofy grin.

"Two babies for everyone to fight over. Lovely." Scarecrow rolled his eyes but he couldn't hide the amused smirk that crept across his face.

"Do me one favor, has-bane," Joker growled, catching Bane's eye. "Don't attract any uh... _pests _while you're here. This is meant to be a safe house and has been maintained perfectly as such. Fuck it up and I'll have to kill ya."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Jester groaned, clapping a hand over her eyes.

"No, no," Bane assured her with a hand on her shoulder. "Joker is right. This is your safe house where you raise your baby, it needs to stay that way. I'd be offended if Joker said nothing."

"Ah, so you _do have a brain_," Joker teased, cackling.

Bane chose not to acknowledge Joker's jab and sat back down on the couch where Ruiz was.

"I forgot to ask, Bane... how old is Reina? When was she born? Do you know?" Jester leaned forward in her seat, waiting patiently for Bane's response.

"August 8th," Bane replied, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion when everyone in the room gasped or raised their eyebrows in surprise.

Jester was grinning from ear to ear, nearly bursting with excitement. "Same day as Ace."

* * *

One baby crying in the middle of the night was enough noise as it was – to have two of them crying in the middle of the night was simply torture.

Jester groaned, running her hands down her face before throwing her legs over the side of the bed and making her way to the closet. She threw on a pair of sweatpants, a thermal long sleeve shirt, fuzzy socks, and her indoor/outdoor slippers. She had only been asleep a couple of hours before the babies woke her up, so she was too tired to notice Joker had gotten up with her and was right behind her as she made her way to Ace's room.

"Hi, babies," Jester cooed, coming over to the crib and smiling down at them both. She startled a little when Joker came to her side and reached down, picking up Reina. He kissed her cheek and gave her a small, tired smile before motioning over at Ace. "You spent a lot of time with Reina today. Take him."

The floor began rumbling under their feet and they knew Bane was up and making his way to the room. He was ducking through the doorway a moment later, a sleepy grin on his face as he held his arms out for Reina. Joker gave Reina to him happily, lightly stroking the child's cheek with his fingertip before making his way out of the room and downstairs to prepare two bottles. "Come on, big guy. It's training time."

Bane and Jester exchanged smiles before making their way out of the room and downstairs after Joker. Bane joined Joker in the kitchen while Jester settled herself into her favorite recliner in the living room with Ace, cooing at him and nuzzling him while he stared at her. "You've got a new friend now, little man, and you better be nice to her as you two grow up. She's a girl, so you've gotta be good to her and protect her, and you've gotta be respectful towards her. No nonsense," she chuckled when Ace smiled at her, kicking a little in her arms in his excitement. "Yes, that's right! It's very exciting!"

"Already teaching him how _not _to be like his old man?" Joker teased, coming into the room with Bane and Reina.

Jester laughed, draping the cloth Joker gave her over her shoulder while he attached Ace's bib. Once he gave her the bottle she began feeding the hungry child, smiling over at Bane as he tried his hand at feeding Reina. "See? It's not so bad," Jester chuckled when Bane glanced at her, a small smile on his face.

"You're right. Not so bad. How will I get her into these little clothes? All these buttons! My hands are too big!" He was examining the onesie Reina was currently wearing, completely perplexed by the garment.

"That's something Ruiz will probably have to help with when it's just you guys. I can't imagine you buttoning these things up with those gigantic fingers."

Joker burst out laughing at Jester's statement, shaking his head. "Might as well put the kid in potato sacks or pillowcases."

Bane glared at him. "This little Princesa will have the best of everything, including trap garments like this!"

Jester giggled, motioning with her hand for Joker to come sit by her. "Of course she will, Bane. Both children will have the best of everything. After this, we'll teach you how to do a diaper change and have you try to button up her onesie. You guys are in good hands. We might be psychopaths but we're decent parents so far."

"Ain't that the truth," Joker muttered, shaking his head. "Who would've thought I'd make a good dad?"

Jester glared at him. "Idiot, I told you that you would from the start."

"Soooo let's have another one!" Joker grinned at her, tickling her under the chin with his finger.

Jester chuckled and shook her head. "Nice try, but no."

"No more for you, _Jefa_?" Bane raised an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"_No m__á__s_," Jester confirmed, shaking her head again. "One is more than enough."

"But you're so good with the babies," Bane countered, still looking surprised by her statements.

"True, but one is more than enough for me. We'll all have our hands full with these two," she motioned to Ace and Reina. "Believe me, throwing a third in would be a nightmare for me."

"I do appreciate the help with Reina," Bane's voice was soft and low, making Jester smile.

"It's my pleasure," she said honestly. "She's a beautiful little thing – I'm happy to be a part of her life."

* * *

The rest of Bane, Ruiz and Reina's stay went pretty smoothly. Bane and Ruiz learned a lot about babies and how to take proper care of them, Reina and Ace were the best of friends already, and with Jester's promise that she'd always be around to help and was just a phone call away, Bane and Ruiz finally took their leave with Reina to head back to their hideout. Tommy and Johnny had gone along with them to help them baby-proof areas that needed to be and to help set up a baby room for Reina complete with a crib, stuffed animals, toys, and everything else they could think of that she'd need and want.

Before they knew it, about another month had gone by. Joker had finally gotten 'snipped', Ace was growing like a weed, the repairs on the Funhouse were finally complete, and business was booming. Joker had successfully taken over Falcone's entire empire and ran it along with his own and Black Mask's. It was a peaceful month – no one else had challenged Joker or made any moves against him, the whispers about him going soft had stopped, the Bat-Family and Gordon still couldn't track any of them down, Arkham was still in the process of being rebuilt, and everyone was getting along as always. Bane and Ruiz made frequent visits with Reina for playdates or for Jester and the others to babysit while they 'conducted business'.

Despite the Bat-Family confiscating and destroying all the burner phones Jester had planted in different shelters throughout the city, she managed to stay busy going on jobs with Joker, Deadshot, Bane, and even some of her own. Jester, Catwoman, and Harley had broken into the courthouse on several different occasions in the middle of the night, stealing every single file they could find on the deplorable types of men Jester had always enjoyed hunting. After a few fights, a few broken pieces of furniture, and a few nights of Joker sleeping in a different room, Joker had finally relented and let Jester 'go to work' by herself again whenever she pleased. She had finally won the two-week long stalemate by reminding him that he had tracking devices installed in both of her cars and had GPS on her phone to track her with, God forbid anything ever happened.

It was Thanksgiving and Jester was currently in the kitchen, stressed out of her mind, and in the middle of a nervous breakdown when Tommy came into the kitchen with Ace cradled in his arms. "Tell me what I can help you with, cuz," he said softly, giving Jester an apologetic look. She had insisted over and over again that she wanted to host a "Friendsgiving" since she hated her family but loved the actual holiday and the food and wanted to celebrate. She had refused everyone's help, insisting she could do it on her own, and everyone placated her – waiting for her to lose her shit and rip her hair out before they'd run in and save the day. They all knew Jester wouldn't be able to do it all herself, but if any of them said it out loud, they'd end up on the business end of either one of her knives or a gun.

"Nothing, T. Nothing," Jester grit out through clenched teeth, raking her hand through her disheveled ponytail and biting back her tears.

"Listen to me," Tommy sat down at the kitchen island and bounced Ace on his knee to keep him preoccupied. He waited until Jester finally turned around to look at him and frowned at the awful look on her face. "You're trying to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in your entire life for more people than you realized. We are all here and willing to help you – there's no need for you to do this by yourself. I get that you're proud and this is something you want to accomplish – no, stop," he put up a finger in warning when she made to interrupt him, shaking his head. "You are not a failure if you ask for help or require it. You know that. I know you don't like asking for help and hate receiving any, but you need it. Swallow your pride and just ask us for help."

"I hate it when you're right – I'm supposed to be the wiser one." Jester glared at him and Tommy laughed.

"Ah, but I'm the older one. I have my moments. Don't forget, your dad raised us both."

Jester sighed and leaned back against the messy counter, wiping her flour-covered hands on the apron she wore. "Fine."

"Are you finally waving the white flag?" Joker sauntered into the kitchen and right up to her, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Are you trying to end up back on the couch?" Jester gave him a nasty look but he laughed it off.

"You'd miss me," Joker teased. He smoothed her ponytail and squeezed her shoulders before stalking over to the doorway that led to the hallway. At the top of his voice, cupping his hands around his mouth, he hollered "Troops! To the kitchen!"

Jester rolled her eyes, huffing a sigh and got back to work on the stuffing she was trying to make.

"I told you, cuz. Stovetop is easy and it's good. This 'made by hand' shit you're doing isn't necessary -" when Jester's evil eye damn near burned a hole through his skull, Tommy put up a hand in surrender and cleared his throat. "It's appreciated, don't get me wrong! Just not necessary." When everyone else made their way into the kitchen, all looking a little too amused and smug for Jester's liking, Tommy handed Ace off to Joker with a smirk. "Looks like I'll get to make my Brussel sprouts after all."

"You and your fucking Brussel sprouts," Jester muttered, moving out of his way as he set up his little station on the counter.

"Never had a single complaint and you know it." Tommy winked at her and playfully shoved her, grinning when she finally let out a little chuckle of amusement. "There she is," he mused, patting her shoulder.

"If you two have the stuffing and Brussel sprouts, I got the turkey," Deadshot's tone, thankfully, was void of amusement.

"It's in the oven..." Jester gave him a puzzled look, swinging around to face him.

Deadshot scratched the back of his head and glanced at Harley before returning his gaze to Jester. "T and I might have gotten a second turkey... not because we thought you'd fuck up!" He blocked the metal serving spoon she chucked at his head and created some distance between them. "We got it 'cause we wanted to deep fry it!"

"Oh," Jester looked thoughtful for a moment, planting herself in a seat at the end of the kitchen island. "That sounds pretty good – we'll have two turkeys though."

"Did you forget you invited Bane and some of his men to dinner?" Catwoman laughed, coming up behind her and running her nimble fingers through Jester's hair.

"Shit," Jester hissed, remembering Tommy's point from earlier.

"Good thing you got us," Harley quipped, pressing a smacking kiss to Jester's flour-smeared cheek. "We think of and get all the extra shit that usually slips that little anxiety-ridden brain of yours."

Jester laughed, not insulted in the least since the statement was true, and the tension in the kitchen dissipated.

"Come on," Joker pulled her up from her seat at the kitchen island and gave her a wicked grin.

"I can't, I gotta cook!" Jester fought him, digging her heels into the kitchen floor and putting all her strength into trying to pull out of his iron grip.

Joker rolled his eyes and snapped his head back in her direction. "Baby, come on. Trust me. You got all the time in the world and, what?" He looked around the kitchen, taking a headcount, "Four people to help out – six if Doctor Davis and Scaredy-crow decide to come out of the basement."

"Right here," Scarecrow chirped, carefully opening the door so he didn't knock it into anyone as he came up from the basement with Doctor Davis in tow.

"Go on," Doctor Davis gave Jester a friendly smile, making her way over to the kitchen island and pulling all the recipes Jester had printed and written down from the little basket she had organized them into. "We've got this."

"You guys are seriously -"

"Yeah, yeah. We're the best, we know," Deadshot finished for her, shooting her a wink. "Go take some time for yourself – a bath, a nap, some D, whatever."

"Jesus Christ," Jester ducked her head to hide the blush that crept into her cheeks and finally scurried after a highly amused and smug-looking Joker, glancing once back at Ace who was currently being cooed at by Scarecrow.

* * *

Joker took his time stripping Jester's clothes off in their bathroom while he ran a nice, hot bath for her. He tsk'ed at her and giggled at all the flour, stuffing, and crumbs she was covered in.

"Shut up," Jester spat sourly, blushing a little with her embarrassment. "I've been trying really hard today."

Joker stopped giggling, giving her a more serious look as he finished stripping her out of her underwear. He wrapped his arms tight around her bare waist and looked her in the eye. "You are doing just fine. Tommy was right, needing help doesn't make you a failure." He pressed a quick, soft kiss to her lips before releasing her and divesting himself of his clothes. "All I want you to do right now is get your ass in that tub and relax for a while."

Jester shot him a small smile and did as he said, carefully slipping into the tub and letting the jets and the hot water soothe her sore muscles and her frazzled mind. The scent of lavender and vanilla helped to calm her and ease her anxiety and she sighed, leaning her head back and sinking into the water until it was up to her chin. She closed her eyes and smiled when she felt Joker climb into the tub and settle himself next to her, stroking her thigh with his fingertips.

"Better?"

"Lots better," Jester murmured, nearly falling asleep in the water. Joker had a way of knowing just what she needed, and this bath was it at the moment. She had been frazzled, anxious, stressed and upset all morning, scrambling around the kitchen and trying to do a million things at once to try and make sure her first Friendsgiving would be perfect.

"Do you know how much I appreciate you? How much we _all_ appreciate you?" Joker's soft voice snapped her out of her little daze and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I do," she murmured, stretching her arms out and wiggling her fingers at him.

Joker giggled, coming closer to her and pulling her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her head in the crook of his neck, relaxing against him as they soaked in the tub.

"I think you should take a nice, long nap after this." Joker pushed back until he was leaning against the side of the tub, wrapping Jester's legs around his waist so she was sitting in his lap. "You do too much and sleep too little."

"This is what we chose," Jester whispered, snuggling closer to him. "We wanted to have a baby – this is how it is when you have a baby. No sleep, no time for much of anything else."

"For normal parents, sure," Joker agreed, letting his head fall back against the edge of the tub. "We are different, sweetheart. We've got all our pals and Doctor Davis to help and to ease the burden. It's like having a house full of nannies." His chest rumbled as he chuckled and Jester sighed, smiling a little.

"I know, but I always feel bad. I feel like a bad mom whenever I'm not with him. Every time someone else bathes him, changes him, feeds him, holds him or puts him down, I feel like I'm letting him down."

Joker tugged gently at her hair, pulling her head back just enough so he could look her in the eye. "Don't ever think that," he scolded. "You're the farthest thing from a bad mom. You put him first – before yourself, before me. You always make sure he's happy, healthy, and well taken care of before you do anything for yourself, even sleeping. Going out on a job, or to the club, or simply taking a break so you can do this -" he motioned with his hand to the water surrounding them, "does not make you a bad mom. Remember what you used to say to me all the time?"

Jester gave him a curious look, saying nothing. Joker smiled at her and pulled her head back to his chest, grinning when he felt her nuzzle his neck. "You always used to say that nobody can help anybody until they've helped themselves. You used to tell me about all your friends, the ones that always came to you with their problems and how you'd drop everything and put your shit on the back burner to help them. You told me about the ones that seemed to always have the same problems, over and over, no matter how many times you helped them out and no matter how much good advice you gave them, and then you'd always tell them the same thing." He took a deep breath. "'I can't help you until you are ready and willing to help _yourself.'_"

Jester grinned against his neck and chuckled. "Sometimes I'm wise."

"You're always wise," Joker mused. "Sometimes I think you've lived a thousand lifetimes. You're one of those really old souls – young but with the wisdom, self-awareness, and experience of someone who has lived several lifetimes. I'm pretty sure your soul is a million years old."

"Perhaps," Jester murmured, trying to fight off her exhaustion. Her breathing had slowed down significantly and her eyelids felt incredibly heavy. She closed her eyes and her arms went a little slack as she began falling asleep again.

Joker kissed the top of her head and carefully carried her out of the tub and set her down on her vanity stool, drying her off with one of the softest towels they had. He wrung the dampness out of her hair and brushed it for her, carefully pulling it back into a little ponytail at the nape of her neck. Once he was done, he carried her to bed and tucked her in, not bothering to put her usual sleep shirt on her. She was out cold – she hadn't stirred even once since she fell asleep in the tub and he chuckled. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before slipping into bed next to her and wrapping himself around her, trying to ignore his raging hard-on as it pressed against her soft, bare flesh. Feeling pretty tired himself, he closed his eyes and breathed her in, letting the scent of vanilla and lavender lull him to sleep.

* * *

They both slept for a long six hours before being woken up. Scarecrow had crept his way into the room with Ace in his arms and grinned as he set the baby down by Jester, holding back a laugh when the little boy grabbed his mother's hair and yanked it as hard as he could.

"Shit!" Jester hissed, her eyes snapping open. It took her a few seconds to get her bearings, she had been having weird dreams the entire time she was asleep and wasn't quite sure where she was. Another tug on her hair helped her to focus and she smiled at Ace, pulling him into her arms and being careful not to expose any of her naked body to Scarecrow.

"Did you sleep well?" Scarecrow kept his voice low, not wanting to wake Joker up and deal with his temper.

Jester just nodded, thankful to have a calm baby who was more than happy to be held instead of squirming all over the place. "Just gimme two minutes and I'll be up and dressed and I'll finish cooking."

"It's all done," Scarecrow assured her with a smile. "Everything is ready. I would've let you sleep longer but we didn't want everything to go cold."

"What?" Jester was confused, raising her eyebrows at him. "What are you talking about? How long have I been asleep?"

"It's been about 6 and a half hours since you two came up here."

"Shit!" Jester clutched the blankets to her chest with one hand as she sat up, keeping Ace safely tucked into her side with her other one. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"What is it?! What happened?" Joker startled awake, sitting up just as quickly and scanning the room for any threats with wild eyes. Seeing nothing but Scarecrow he turned to look at Jester and grinned when he saw Ace in her arms, happy as a clam while he played with her hair.

"Dinner is ready, apparently," Jester answered, giving him a sad look. "I fucked up."

"You did not fuck up," Scarecrow scolded. "We didn't mind cooking – we all worked together pretty well considering the limited space we had. It was no problem at all – besides, you deserve a break."

"See? I told you," Joker winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"I'll take him back down with me so the two of you can get ready. Bane is here with Ruiz and a few of their men and Ivy's downstairs too." Scarecrow reached out for Ace and Jester handed him over with a small smile.

"Thank you," she murmured, patting him on the arm. "You are a godsend."

"I don't know about that," Scarecrow shot her a wink and his lips curved up into a wicked grin. "There are many people out there that would disagree."

"I'm one of 'em," Joker giggled, smoothing his hair back with his hands. "Ain't nothin' holy about you."

"Why thank you," Scarecrow gave a small bow and excused himself from the room, making his way back downstairs with Ace.

* * *

Dinner was amazing. There was a ton of food, including all of Jester's favorites like mashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallow on top, cornbread casserole, scallops wrapped in bacon, mixed vegetables, stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple pie, snickerdoodle cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate fudge brownies, and tons of alcohol. Jester had a couple of glasses of prosecco, one of a pretty pricey sauvignon blanc, one of cabernet sauvignon and two of malbec. It was safe to say that despite the three plates of food she annihilated, she was quite drunk by the end of dessert.

Jester, Joker, Harley, Ivy, Scarecrow, Catwoman, Deadshot, Tommy, Johnny, Bane, Ruiz, Reina and Ace all sat in the living room, stuffed and exhausted. Bane's other men had gone back to their hideout already after thanking everyone profusely for dinner and for having them over. All in all, it was a huge success and Jester was thrilled. The deep-fried turkey Deadshot and Tommy made was delicious – much better than the oven-roasted one she had made and every other turkey she ever had before then.

"I gained a hundred pounds," Jester slurred, sipping at her third glass of malbec with a sloppy grin on her face.

"You're loaded," Tommy laughed at her, amused by her current state. Not only was she drunk as a skunk, but she was curled up in an armchair in her dragon onesie, gripping her wine glass in both hands as if it was the holy grail and somebody was going to try and snatch it from her.

"Dragon likes drinkies," she singsonged, bobbing her head as if she was jamming to a song but no music was playing.

Harley burst out laughing, just as drunk as Jester. "Dragon Drinkies!"

"Jesus," Johnny tried to hide the smile creeping onto his face but failed, unable to stop himself from chuckling at the two drunk girls on the opposite side of the room.

"You're going to be sick, _Jefa," _Bane raised a cool eyebrow at Jester and she childishly blew a raspberry at him.

"I'm not gonna be nuffin,'" she grumbled. "'Cause I'm already fuckin' awesome!"

Deadshot clapped a hand over his mouth and shook his head, shooting Joker an exasperated look. Joker simply grinned at him and shrugged, chuckling at Jester's drunken musings.

"Are you?" Joker leaned forward in his chair, meeting Jester's eyes with his own. "Are you _really?" _

"Hey, you fucker," Jester pointed an accusing finger at him. "Don't you be t-teasin' me, mi-ister. I'll kick yer asssssss," she made a slow circle with her finger, squinting one eye at him and giving him a weak glare.

"You ain't gonna do shit," Deadshot laughed, leaning back against the cushions of the couch.

Scarecrow sighed next to him, shaking his head at Jester.

"Hey! Don't you – don't you go patro... pay to... patron..." Jester was still glaring at Scarecrow with half-lidded eyes, shifting her finger in his direction. She struggled to find the word she was trying to use, muttering drunkenly under her breath.

"Patronizing?" Scarecrow smirked at her, lazily draping one arm over the side of the couch.

"YEAH! That one! Don't you go fuckin' patronizing me, Scaredy cricket. Crow. Fuckin' _bird_. Whatever, I don't even care." Jester waved her hand dismissively and Scarecrow bit back his laughter, raising an eyebrow at her and then at Tommy.

"Is this what she does every Thanksgiving?"

Tommy laughed and shook his head. "My mom and stepdad are raging alcoholics and usually host every holiday – they keep enough booze in the house to get a whole army drunk and they don't stop pouring drinks. Every holiday or family get together, we all get pretty fucking wasted. Put out bottles of wine and this is what you get." He pointed at Jester and burst out laughing when she glared at him over the rim of her glass, ducking her head as if hiding from him. "I can see you, cuz."

"No! You can't see me, I'm not here." Jester nearly spilled her drink as she clumsily set her glass down on the table next to her so she could cover her eyes with her hands.

Catwoman was snickering in Tommy's lap, choking on the laughter she was trying to fight off. "Oh, this is excellent."

"Ladies and gentlemen, my Queen – the hitwoman of Gotham." Joker motioned at her in a grand gesture, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "Vicious killer by day, drunken dinosaur by night."

"I'M A DRAGON!" Jester lurched forward in her chair, throwing her hood up over her head and pointing at it. "SEE? DRAGON. Goddammit, nobody ruh-spects me!"

"It's kind of like watching a low budget Harry Potter movie," Scarecrow burst out laughing at Deadshot's comment, shaking his head wildly from side to side as if to make it stop. "It's like Hagrid, Filch, Mad-Eye Moody and a dragon had a lovechild with an IQ of 3."

"Yer just jealous," Jester singsonged, looking to Harley for backup. Unfortunately for her, Harley had passed out at some point in her chair and was curled up in a tight ball that looked like it would hurt when she woke up. She shrugged, getting over it pretty quickly, and looked back at Deadshot, trying to muster up the most serious expression she possibly could. In her best Hagrid voice, she growled "Imma wiz-urd, Harry."

"No, that's it, I'm fucking done." Deadshot got up and walked out of the living room, howling with laughter in the hallway. Everyone was laughing at that point aside from Harley, Bane, and Johnny who had all succumbed to the exhaustion that usually follows a Thanksgiving dinner.

"Alrighty, that's it for you!" Joker was trying to stop his laughter as he crossed the room and scooped her up in his arms. "Off to bed with ya."

"Stop makin' the whole damn place go all funny," she grumbled, glaring at nothing in particular.

"Darling, making the whole place _'go funny'_ is my shtick." Joker raised an eyebrow at her and smirked, stopping in his tracks so she could get her bearings.

She huffed and looked up at him, focusing hard on his face. "You gonna have sex wimme?"

"Oh, for the love... _please_ take her upstairs." Tommy groaned, dropping his head into his hand. "I did not need to hear that. Not at all."

"Yeah, Missa J. Take me upsteers."

* * *

"I'm not goin' to sleep," Jester looked like a petulant child, sitting up in bed with her arms crossed tight over her chest and a scowl on her face. "You can't make me."

"What if I get you out of your clothes and put you in your favorite sleep shirt?" Joker cocked his head at her and watched her closely.

She gave him a saucy grin and crawled to the edge of the bed, doing her best to look sexy although she more closely resembled a newborn giraffe as she wobbled. "If you take me outta my clothes, we're gonna _fuck_."

"See, I'm not opposed to the idea," Joker came closer and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, smiling when she made a sound similar to a purr. "But you're trashed and you'll fall asleep in the middle of it."

"Nuh-uh! I will not!" She glared at him and slapped his hand away, returning to her pouting.

Joker sighed, rolling his eyes. "You won't, huh?" He pulled off his shirt and waggled his eyebrows at her when he caught her staring at him, her eyes a little glassy.

"Nah," she murmured, reaching out with her hands to try and touch him.

He stayed just out of her reach, slowly kicking off his shoes and unbuckling his belt, keeping his eyes on her. "I'll tell ya what, princess," he purred. "If you can take your clothes off without falling, I'll fuck ya real good."

She bit her lip and pulled her shirt off as quickly as she could, both of them watching each other as they slowly stripped off all of their clothes. She stood up, shimmying her tight skinny jeans down her thighs until they were at her knees. Joker watched her closely, smirking as she struggled to try and lower herself to the floor to pull them off of her without falling. "Careful," he taunted, giggling when she flipped him the bird.

"I got dis," she insisted, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration. She bent to shove her pants a little lower down her legs – she always struggled to get these jeans off even when she was sober – and that's when it happened. The shocked, doomed expression on her face as she lost her balance and began falling had Joker howling with laughter. He let her fall, knowing she wouldn't get hurt – she was close to the floor already and she landed on her ass on the carpet.

"I hate you," she whined, pouting at him while she sat in a heap on the floor completely topless with her pants around her ankles.

Joker couldn't stop his laughter, the whole scene was too much for him to take. He made his way over to her and crouched in front of her, his laughter dying down into a chuckle as he hooked his fingers into the cuffs of her pants and wrenched them off her feet. "That was a dangerous challenge to accept, princess," he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead to calm her down. "I don't know why you insist on wearing these jeans. You can hardly get into them and you can never take them off. They're like leg traps!"

"I coulda done it," she muttered, letting her head droop in defeat.

"Silly, silly songbird," Joker tossed her jeans to the side and slipped her panties off before picking her up and putting her in bed. He slipped his boxers back on and made his way to the bedroom door. "I'll be right back."

"Hey! Where you goin'?"

"I'm going to get you your little hangover prevention and remedy supplies, gorgeous," he blew her a kiss and a wink and made his way out of the bedroom, careful to close the door behind him. Walking into the kitchen, he quickly grabbed two bottles of Body Armor, a bottle of ibuprofen, a box of cheez-its and a ginger ale – just in case. He quickly made his way back to the bedroom and set everything down on her nightstand, opening up one of the bottles of Body Armor and handing it to her. "Chug it, baby. You know it'll ward off the hangover."

She simply nodded and took it from him, chugging down the entire large bottle until it was all gone. She lay back down once she was finished and pat the bed next to her, beckoning him to come over and lay down with her. "Two minutes," he said, making his way around the room to shut off all the lights and turn on the TV before slipping into bed beside her. "What are we watchin'?"

"I wanna watch Gosssssip Girl," she slurred, draping herself over his body and resting her head down against his chest.

Joker rolled his eyes but put the show on anyway. "This show is ridiculous," he grumbled, stroking her hair once he set the remote back down.

"Ya but yer jus' like Chuck."

Joker chuckled at that, wrapping his free arm around her waist. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, 'cause you're the big bad wolf who doesn't take shit from anybody, but you're also kinda nice."

"I don't own a hotel, though," Joker mused.

"You don't hafta. You own all dis stuff in Gotham!"

"Ah, you're right, little bird. I guess I am a little like Chuck Bass, huh?"

"He dresses a lil' better."

Joker laughed. "Ouch! You know, if I wasn't so secure in our uh, relationship... I'd be worried that you like this Chuck Bass more than me."

"He's fuckin' smokin'." Jester snuggled closer to Joker and he laughed again, shaking his head.

"Yes, I guess you might say he's an attractive guy. I look better though."

"Yeah, you're not so bad."

Joker could tell from her tone that she was teasing him and tickled her ribs in retaliation, only stopping when she began contorting almost inhumanly to get away from him. "Get back here, you feisty little thing," he purred, pulling her back towards him and holding his arms above his head so she could drape herself over him once more. "Perfect, just like that."

"Love you," Jester muttered, finally beginning to fall asleep.

"I love _you," _he cooed, running his fingers through her hair while he watched the show. He'd never admit it to her or anyone else, but he did kind of like it. He liked the scandals and schemes and the way Chuck and Blair worked together effortlessly to viciously and magnificently bring down their enemies. It reminded him of himself and Jester. They were a power couple just like Chuck and Blair, just a lot more dangerous and unhinged. And, of course, there was all the murder.

They were on the episode where Chuck and Nate were competing and fighting over Blair and he giggled to himself. "Reminds me of the Straw Man," he mused. "Oh! Oh-ho-ho! Scaredy Crow is Nate Archibald!"

Joker was a psychopath, not stupid. He noticed the way Scarecrow always looked at Jester – pure puppy love constantly shining brightly in his eyes. Scarecrow was attentive, caring, generous, selfless, and compassionate but only ever around Jester. He noticed the way Scarecrow was a pure gentleman with Jester, always holding her around her waist or her shoulders, never letting his hand slip lower than her lower back when he escorted her, always pressing soft, sweet kisses to her cheeks, nose, forehead, and temple, smelling her hair whenever they hugged.

He was well aware Scarecrow was ridiculously, helplessly in love with Jester. He'd be angry about it, but it worked out well for him – he knew Scarecrow would put his life on the line to protect Jester and Ace if it ever came down to it, and God forbid something happened to him, well... Scarecrow would be the perfect man to step in and get Jester back on her feet. He was good for her in more ways than Joker was, but he also respected boundaries and Joker knew Scarecrow would never be low or stupid enough to try and steal her from him. He was also well aware that Scarecrow was extremely intelligent much like himself and was well aware, or at least suspicious, that Joker knew how he felt.

* * *

A small knock at the door caught Joker's attention and he quietly called for whoever it was to come in. "Your ears must have been burning, Straw man," Joker teased, taking Ace from Scarecrow's arms.

"Oh?" Scarecrow raised an eyebrow at him, smiling slightly as he watched Joker tuck Ace carefully into the bedding on his other side, making sure to stack pillows behind him so he wouldn't fall off in his sleep.

Joker finished and pointed to the television. "That guy," he motioned to Nate Archibald, "is you."

"Me?" Scarecrow crossed his arms over his chest and gave the character on the TV a scrutinizing look. "Are you trying to tell me I'm pretty, Joker?"

"Pull up a chair, pretty boy." Joker motioned to a comfy armchair in the corner and Scarecrow obliged, quietly moving it over towards the foot of the bed so he could see the TV without cramping Joker and Jester's space.

"That guy is me," Joker pointed to Chuck Bass. "Well, that's what Jester says anyway."

"I can see the similarities," Scarecrow chuckled as Chuck Bass climbed gracefully out of his limo and goaded Nate Archibald under the awning of the Russian Tea Room. As Nate pulled reverse psychology on Chuck and demanded that he make a decision, Scarecrow considered any possible similarities he may have with Nate.

"Do you see it yet?" Joker looked over at him, lightly ticking Ace's belly with one hand while the other was still buried in Jester's plum locks.

"I suppose..." Scarecrow shot him a skeptical look.

Joker chuckled, picking up the remote and going back to the episode selection screen. "Let's see..." he skimmed through the description of each episode until he found the one he was looking for, shooting Scarecrow a wide grin as he selected it and fast-forwarded to the part he wanted Scarecrow to see.

It was the episode in the first season where Blair had Chuck and Nate show up to her penthouse and showed up with Serena, drugged and slumped in a heap on the elevator floor. One glance at Scarecrow told Joker that he was patiently waiting to see what Joker was trying to show him. Finally, the scene where Serena finally broke down crying after sending Dan away came up and Scarecrow smirked when Nate and Chuck made digs at each other about sleeping with Blair and Serena. Chuck simply replied with a very unapologetic 'I'm Chuck Bass' and both Joker and Scarecrow chuckled at that – that was a shining example of Chuck's similarities to Joker.

"I think I'm beginning to see what you mean," Scarecrow watched carefully, paying close attention to the way Nate treated both Serena and Blair in contrast to how Chuck did and it started to make sense.

"Ah, look at our boy go," Joker snickered at the part where Nate was on the phone with Vanessa and warned her vehemently about Georgina, then followed up with a phone call to Blair to let her know, acknowledging Serena didn't want them getting involved in the whole situation but clearly not feeling comfortable with leaving the situation as it was.

"Yes, I see it now." Scarecrow smirked, watching as Blair and Chuck agreed to 'go get the bitch' and took off for Rufus' concert to catch Georgina. "I'm the rational, boundary respecting protector and loyal friend, correct?"

"Indeed," Joker clicked his tongue, shooting Scarecrow a wink. "There's one more thing."

Scarecrow sighed, knowing the dreaded conversation was finally happening. He knew it was only a matter of time before Joker would approach him about his obvious affections for Jester. He hoped Joker didn't know about the night he kissed Jester – though, the more he thought about it, he knew Joker would have killed him already if he did.

"The love triangle with Blair." Scarecrow met Joker's gaze unflinchingly, waiting patiently for Joker to either lash out or laugh. The clown was unpredictable – this conversation had many, many potential outcomes and none of them eased Scarecrow's trepidation.

"Bingo."

Scarecrow sighed, folding his hands neatly in his lap. "I had a feeling you knew. How long?"

"The night of our engagement. Your face when I mentioned her becoming my wife. You are an excellent actor, my friend, but you can't bullshit me."

Scarecrow simply nodded, acknowledging Joker's words.

"I know you won't cross the line, I'm not concerned. Just know this – if anything ever happens to me, I expect you to take proper care of her and my son."

Scarecrow was flabbergasted. He turned in his chair and raised his eyebrows at Joker in shock. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm trusting you to take care of these two if something ever happens to me. The only reason I'm not angry and don't kill you is because there's always a chance of me being locked up again or killed and I know you'll be the only person to talk her off the ledge and take proper care of them both." Joker's voice was low, calm, and didn't carry a single note or shred of rage or deception. He was being sincere.

"You have my word," was all Scarecrow said before returning his attention to the TV. He and Joker didn't say another word to each other but Scarecrow knew the clown well enough to know that he was more than welcome to keep the clown company for a while longer – in fact, he was willing to bet the clown was more than happy to be in his company at the moment.

"I don't like that little cunt," Joker scowled at Georgina, his trigger finger twitching.

Scarecrow nodded his agreement. "Little _snake_," he hissed, glaring at the screen. "I hope Blair destroys her."

Joker barked a laugh, quickly clapping a hand over his mouth so he didn't wake Ace or Jester. "Oh, so do I! She reminds me so much of our Jester."

"Indeed. Both are ruthless, clever, conniving, witty, and intelligent."

"If you breathe a word to anyone about us watching this stupid show together, I'll -"

Scarecrow chuckled at the dark, threatening look Joker was fixing him with and put up a hand to cut him off. "Eviscerate me. Yes, I am aware. I'd prefer no one knowing I watched this... what is this, a soap opera?"

"No fucking idea," Joker shrugged. "It's pretty damn interesting, though. These little fuckers are _evil_."


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's. **

The next morning, Jester woke up to Ace's cries coming from his bedroom. Joker had put him in his crib before he fell asleep for the night, too afraid to keep him in bed with them in case he fell off or one of them rolled over on him. "I got it," she mumbled, sitting up slowly and bracing herself for the violent hangover she was expecting. She was pleasantly surprised when she felt fine, just a little bit tired with a little headache.

"I'll get him," Joker offered, already up and pulling on some sweatpants. "Take some ibuprofen and have a snack, God knows you probably have a nightmare of a hangover."

He didn't give her enough time to respond, shuffling quickly out of the bedroom to change Ace and make a bottle for him.

Jester slowly and carefully got out of bed, waiting for the rush of nausea to hit her, but it didn't. She smiled to herself, thankful that Joker had made her chug that big bottle of Body Armor before bed. She yawned and stretched, grabbing the pills and the other Body Armor Joker had left on her nightstand and took them, making sure to drink half the bottle down just in case. She grabbed her robe from the closet along with her slippers and made her way to the bathroom for a shower, wondering briefly what the day would bring. Little did she know, it would be a long, tedious, shitty day.

Joker crept up on her in her closet as she was sifting through her clothes to put an outfit together for the day. He wrapped his arms tight around her from behind and pressed his body against hers, trailing kisses down her throat and along her bare shoulder. "You smell delicious," he purred.

"Where's Ace?"

"With Bane, Reina, and Johnny downstairs. They're _'playing._'"

Jester chuckled, reaching for an off-shoulder black long sleeve that came down to mid-thigh on her and a pair of white and black skull and floral printed leggings.

"Put those down," Joker growled, pushing her forward and knocking her into her dresser. She tried to whip her head around to scold him but he gripped the back of her neck tightly in one hand to keep her head still while the other pushed her upper body down, bending her over in front of him. "Shut up."

"Someone's feelin' frisky," she teased, biting her bottom lip as his erection pressed against her.

"You could say that," he said, brushing her hair to the side and biting down on her exposed throat, eliciting a little moan from her. "_You_ were frisky last night, princess. Tell me... do ya still want me?"

"Always," she breathed, groaning when his hand slipped slowly down her bare stomach and towards the apex of her thighs.

"Are you nice and wet for Daddy?"

His low growl sent a shiver down her spine and she nodded as her arousal spiked. She pressed her ass back against him and spread her feet wide part, opening her legs for him.

"Oh, good girl," he purred, fisting her hair tight in one hand and lightly circling her clit with the tip of his finger on his other hand. "You like that?"

"Yes," she whispered, spreading her legs even farther apart for him. She rubbed herself against his finger, trying to entice him into giving her what she wanted.

"Ah, ah, ah... not so fast, baby." He gripped her by her upper arms and spun her around to face him, pressing his body flush against hers. Their eyes met and she licked her lips at the lust she saw burning in his. That familiar bolt of electricity jolt straight through her body and settle in her core when he looked at her like he wanted to devour her completely.

"Do. Not. Move." He gave her a warning look before sinking to his knees and gripping her thighs so tight he bruised them. She nodded dumbly, mesmerized by the hungry look on his face as he stared at her soaking wet sex and roughly pulled her thighs farther apart. He smirked up at her as he brought his mouth to her, lightly flicking the tip of his tongue against her clit. She bit her lip and whined, fighting off the urge to move. She wanted to grab him by the hair and force him but she knew she'd be punished if she disobeyed him.

She let her head fall back when he slowly dragged his tongue up the length of her slit, tasting her and lapping up her juices. His hands slowly slid up from her thighs to her hips, digging his nails into her flesh as he dipped his tongue into her opening, thrusting it into her as deep as he could. "Spread your pussy open for me," he commanded, gripping her hands and moving them down to her thighs. She did as she was told, using her fingers to spread and hold herself open for him. He growled his approval, shoving her back against the dresser and sucking her clit into his mouth.

"Fuck!" Jester moaned, spreading her feet as far apart as she possibly could until it was almost painful.

"That's my girl, you do what Daddy tells you. Keep that pretty pussy open for me, princess." He moaned into her pussy as he laved his tongue over her clit and opening, slowly and deliberately, teasing her with his light strokes.

She was moaning loudly, her breathing becoming ragged as a hot wave of desire washed over her body and settled in her belly, desperate for him to push her over the edge. He nipped at her clit, making her cry out, and chuckled against her wet flesh as he slipped a finger inside her, pumping it in and out of her slowly as he continued his abuse on her clit, enjoying the noises she was making from his attentions. "Does that feel good, baby? You like it when Daddy teases you?"

"Yes!" She was leaning back against the dresser, her legs trembling slightly as she tried to keep still for him, still holding herself wide open for him.

"Yes _what_?" He slid his hands up her belly and cupped her breasts in his hands, rolling and pinching her nipples in his pale fingers.

"Yes, Daddy," she panted, letting her head fall back as he sent shock waves of desire through her body. "Please!"

"Please what? What do you want me to do to you?" He slipped a second finger inside her and crooked them both, slowly stroking circles against her g-spot and using his thumb to tease her clit.

"Please," she whined, biting down hard on her bottom lip to distract herself. She wanted so badly to grab his hair, to buck her hips against him, to pull him up and make him take her right then and there but she couldn't. "Please, please, please!"

"Tell me what you want, baby," he whispered, sucking her clit into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue, grinning when her legs quaked and she gasped.

"I want... I want you to fuck me! Please, baby, I want you inside me!"

"Not yet," he scolded, adding a third finger inside her and pumping them faster. "I want you to cum in my mouth first. _Then_ I'll fuck your brains out."

"Oh, fuck!" She shouted, trying her best to stay standing with her hands spreading herself and her legs trembling. "I'm so close, baby! So close! Please!"

"Who am I to deny my Queen?" He pulled his fingers out of her and reached up, jamming them in her mouth and moaning as she greedily sucked and licked them clean. He dipped his head and licked at her pussy until she was shaking. "Cum for Daddy," he growled. He gave her clit a good, hard suck and moaned against her to send vibrations through her and didn't stop until she came undone, shaking uncontrollably. He ran his tongue up the length of her slit, holding her firm against the dresser by her hips and lapping up every drop of her release. "Mmmm," he moaned, burying his face in her sex, "you're so good, baby. So, so, _so_ good."

He held her up until her breathing calmed and her legs stopped shaking as much then pulled her down into his lap, crashing his lips into hers. Jester dug her nails into his back and raked them down his flesh and he groaned into her mouth, gripping her hair tight in his fists and yanking her head back. "Submit to me," he commanded, more than pleased when she arched back and stretched her head as far back as she could, fully exposing her throat to him.

"Oh, that's my girl," he praised, lowering his head and kissing every inch of her throat. He nuzzled her before biting down on her pulse point, ripping a scream from her as he broke the skin and drew her blood. Instead of lapping at it like he usually would, he took his fingers and smeared it across her throat as if he was painting a blank canvas. "You're so pretty when you're messy."

"J... please," she was rolling her hips against his, grinding herself against his hard cock. "I want you so bad, baby!"

"Do you?" He teased her, ducking his head and sucking one hard nipple into his mouth while he twisted and flicked the other one, making her grind more roughly against him as she moaned and panted. "God dammit, J! Stop fucking teasing me!"

He reached his free hand up and gripped her face tight in it, glaring up at her. He released her nipple from his mouth with a loud _pop. _"Do you want me to punish you?" His eyes darkened and it only excited her more, the threat lurking in them turning her on.

"Yes," she breathed, giving him a wicked grin.

He chuckled and in the blink of an eye, he had slammed her head back against the dresser and had a bruising grip on her throat. "You want me to hurt ya, do ya?"

Jester couldn't speak, her air supply cut off by his pale hand on her throat. She simply nodded, mischief dancing in her aqua eyes.

"Naughty little bitch," he growled, using the grip he had on her throat to shove her out of his lap and back against the dresser. "Stay right there," he commanded, shooting her a warning look as he stood to pull off his sweatpants and boxers. She obliged, laying still on her back on the floor and staring up at him hungrily.

A wicked thought crossed his mind and he grinned down at her, backing away from her and out of the closet, all the way towards the bed. He stood against the side of their bed, completely naked with his stiff erection standing at attention. "Crawl to me."

Jester did, and she did it with enthusiasm that pleased him immensely. "Oh, just like that." He watched her like a hawk, licking his red lips as she slowly crawled on her hands and knees, swaying her hips a little as she moved. As soon as she reached him, she pulled herself up on her knees and looked up at him innocently, driving him wild.

He fisted a hand in her hair and brought her face closer to his cock, staring down at her. "You know what I want," he barked, prying her mouth open with two fingers. She sucked on them and he groaned, positioning himself at the entrance of her mouth. "Open wide," he demanded. He barely waited for her to stretch her mouth open before shoving himself inside to the hilt, fingers and all. She gagged, choked, and turned red as she struggled to keep his cock buried in her throat and he sighed, running his fingers lovingly through her hair before pulling out and giving her a moment to catch her breath.

"Again," she whispered, licking her lips.

"Oh, baby," he growled, chuckling as he rammed himself inside her mouth once more, forcing himself down her throat until her nose was pressed against his pelvis. "So beautiful," he muttered, holding her head in place. "Take it, take it, _take it._.."

She held on longer this time, his pleasure turning her on even more than she already was. She swirled her tongue along the underside of his cock and sucked hard, laving her tongue along every single inch of him that she could reach, spurred on by his moans and growls of pleasure. He released her head and she wrapped a hand around the base of his cock, bobbing her head up and down as she sucked and licked, taking in as much of him as she possibly could .

"Yeah baby, don't stop," he whispered, stroking her hair with one hand and bracing his other on her shoulder, digging his nails into her flesh.

She smiled around his cock as she sucked harder and slower, swirling her tongue around the tip and massaging the big vein on the underside of it with the flat of her tongue, driving him insane with pleasure. She kept it up, ignoring the pain and the tightness in her jaw, and didn't stop until he wrenched her head away.

"Get on your hands and knees."

She did, smiling at him as she turned her back to him and did exactly as he commanded. Joker took in her smooth, soft skin and the way her small ass poked up in the air and slapped her as hard as he could on her ass cheek, relishing in the noise it made and the yelp that escaped her mouth. "Fuck, baby, you're so perfect."

"If I'm so perfect, why aren't you fucking my brains out yet?"

He grinned at the growl in her voice and knelt behind her, teasingly rubbing the tip of his cock up and down her slit. "You want this?"

"Yes!" She was angry now.

"I don't think you do," he sighed, stopping his teasing and keeping completely still.

"Fuck me, dammit!" She whipped her head around and gave him a hateful, chastising look and he smirked at her.

"Make me." 

Those two words made her snap. She snarled like a feral animal and thrust herself backward, impaling herself on his cock and slamming against his pelvis. She had planned on taunting him but wasn't able to, too busy screaming her pleasure at being filled up by him for the first time in a month.

"Bad, bad, bad girl!" He spread her ass with both hands and pushed himself farther into her, pushing until he couldn't anymore. She moaned loudly and choked on a sob, burying her face in the carpet. "Stay still for Daddy. I'm gonna fuck you into this god damn floor." 

True to his word, he pulled out of her and slammed himself back inside her, keeping up a fast pace as he did so over and over again, reveling in the way she screamed and writhed under him. "Louder!" He snarled at her, gripping her hair in both hands and shoving her head harder into the carpet. He wrapped one hand around her throat and choked her roughly, mercilessly pounding into her as hard as he could.

Like the trooper she was, she kept her ass up in the air and her upper body pressed hard against the carpet, and for a brief moment Joker wondered if he was hurting her – the day she had that awful flashback and scrambled away from him flashed in his mind and he slowed down, releasing her throat so he could turn her face to the side. She had a blissful look on her face, her eyes closed and her lip split and bleeding from her biting it so roughly. There was no pain in her expression whatsoever. Satisfied with that, he picked his pace back up and wrapped his hand back around her throat, snaking the other one around to her belly and pressing the heel of his hand hard into her lower abdomen, intensifying her pleasure. "Cum for me, beautiful," he purred, so proud of her for taking him like a champion. He knew her knees and elbows would be riddled with rug burn and that her head and throat were probably sore from his rough handling, and she was probably feeling as much pain as she was pleasure from his hard, deep, ruthless thrusts. "Cum all over my cock, sweetheart."

She moaned his name, reaching one arm back and gripping his forearm as tight as she could, digging her nails into his skin. "That's it, baby," he encouraged, reaching his hand down to rub his thumb over her clit. Her walls clamped down on him and her legs began shaking again, her breathing becoming more ragged and her moans turning into incoherent babbling.

He slammed himself into her as hard as he could, burying himself so deep he reached the back of her tight pussy and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Take what you want from Daddy."

That was all she needed. She let go, shattering around him with a loud, piercing scream and shaking violently. Jester's orgasm spurred on his own and he spilled himself deep inside her, moaning loudly as he gripped her hair in his hands, yanking her head back so he could look at her as she unraveled underneath him. She looked angelic – a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead, flushed cheeks, her eyes closed and her burgundy lips parted as she panted. "You're so fucking beautiful," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He loosened his grip on her hair and straightened up, carefully pulling out of her as soon as his cock had stopped pulsing inside her.

She looked completely stuck, still on the floor with her ass up in the air, his seed leaking out of her and spilling down her soaking wet pussy. He licked his lips and groaned quietly, reaching out with his thumb and collecting his cum as it leaked out of her and shoving it back inside her, pumping the digit in and out of her as she was still coming down from her high. She finally collapsed, groaning as she rolled onto her back and looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes.

"Come here, baby," he cooed, carefully pulling her up by her waist and gently tossing her onto the bed. "You okay?"

"You didn't hurt me," she whispered, giving him a knowing grin. "I appreciate you checking on me, though."

"I had to," he said it softly, sincerely, and it made her heart swell. She grinned at him and pulled his face down to hers, kissing him slowly and lazily. He smiled against her mouth and carefully settled himself on top of her. "I don't ever wanna hurt ya like that again, princess."

"Don't ever leave me," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. The words took him by surprise but he didn't show it, opting for a lighthearted reaction instead.

Joker chuckled and shook his head at her, cupping her face in both hands. "Never," he promised, kissing her once more. "I need you more than the air I breathe, Jester."

"I love you," she whispered, nuzzling her nose against his.

"I love you more."

Joker, Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot had been running around Gotham City all day, rounding up Falcone's henchmen and killing them all. Joker didn't trust any of them and didn't see any potential in any of them, so his solution was shooting them all on sight. Unlike Black Mask's men, they had undying loyalty towards the Falcone family and Joker wanted to set an example – if you oppose him, you die. Despite the whispers in the streets about him going soft ceasing, Joker still felt he needed to remind everyone just why he was the biggest, baddest wolf in Gotham City.

Tommy was doing well, not flinching or even grimacing every time they put another guy down. He had even taken charge a few times, killing men without being told to do so as soon as they pulled up to their houses or other properties Falcone owned. Joker had grinned at Tommy on the last one, congratulating him on a job well done – Tommy had opted for violently pistol whipping the mouthy guy instead of just shooting him, caving his face in in quite a grotesque manner.

They had just gotten to one of Falcone's underground casinos and were taking a look around. Joker planned to spend most of the day finding all of Falcone's little gambling spots and clubs, making note of the ones he wanted to take over and torching the ones he didn't like. This spot was in the heart of Gotham City underneath a hair salon – a typical front but a good one nonetheless.

Joker slowly moved around the room, knocking on trick doors, flipping switches, pulling cords and tapping different keys on the old fashioned cash register to check out all the machines and games that were hidden in the place. As he made his way to the back of the dark, windowless room, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and knew instantly that he was not alone. He grinned, drawing both his guns and whirling around to come face to face with none other than Batman, Robin, and Nightwing.

"Bats! Long time, no see! I gotta say, I was starting to feel a little left out when you stopped seeking me out for beatings." Joker cackled when Batman groaned and shook his head, holding his arm out to stop Robin and Nightwing from descending upon him.

"Careful," Joker singsonged, motioning with one gun to the staircase. "You don't wanna ruin the party, do ya?"

"Hiding in basements now, Batman? I wonder where you stashed the Batmobile..." Deadshot cocked his head and smirked at Nightwing. "Looks like he parked it up homeboy's ass."

Joker was howling with laughter and Tommy and Johnny joined him, standing at the foot of the stairs behind Batman, Robin and Nightwing.

"Three against four," Joker gave a low whistle, shooting Batman an apologetic look. "I'm willing to bet," he giggled at his joke, motioning around the room to emphasize it, "that the house wins today!"

"You're going to Blackgate, Joker," Batman growled in his usual gruff tone. "So are your friends."

"Will _your_ friends be joining us? After all, we're all criminals here." Joker winked at Batman and moved quickly, smashing the grip of his gun into Batman's head to daze him.

That was the precise moment all hell broke loose. Batman and Joker locked up as they always did, throwing punches, exchanging barbs and jokes (on Joker's end, anyway) and destroying the room with their scuffle. Tommy squared off with Robin, laughing at his childlike appearance while Deadshot and Johnny handled Nightwing.

"Where's your girlfriend, Batsy?" Joker laughed as his back connected hard with the wall that Batman threw him into. He got to his feet quickly, kicking a chair out at Batman to slow him down as he planned his next attack. "Clearly you aren't spending enough time with her. I hear she's got quite the skill set!"

"Give up, Joker," Batman demanded. "You can't get away. Gotham P.D. Is already outside swarming the building. You won't be causing any more harm to the citizens of Gotham!"

"_'Citizens of Gotham?'_" Joker stopped in his tracks, quirking an eyebrow at Batman. "I wouldn't consider the likes of Falcone and his men 'citizens'. I'm just taking out the trash! You know, Bats, I'm starting to feel like you just don't appreciate anything I do for you. I get rid of the bad guys, I make people laugh..."

"Nothing you do is funny!" Batman was shouting, lunging over a table and taking Joker down with him, swinging on him as hard as he could and ramming his fist into Joker's nose.

Joker cackled obnoxiously as if he were being tickled instead of having the shit beat out of him. "You and I," he looked Batman in the eye, licking the blood that flowed from his nose off of his lips, "we're two peas in a pod! You're a criminal, I'm a criminal. You break the law, I break the law. You have cronies, I have cronies." Joker glanced over at Nightwing and Robin as they struggled to fight off Deadshot, Tommy and Johnny and avoided bullets by a hair. "Mine are better, though. And _I_ don't wear a stupid costume."

"That's enough!" Batman grabbed Joker by the lapels of his jacket and yanked him up off the floor. "Let's go."

"Easy on the suit!" Joker rolled his eyes and mock-pouted. "You're no fun anymore. You barely even put up a fight these days. Are you too busy for me? Or..." Joker narrowed his eyes at Batman, scowling. "Is there someone else?" Joker used the distraction to headbutt Batman, sending him stumbling backwards and clutching at his head. Joker cackled wickedly, lunging at Batman and knocking him to the ground, returning the favor with a hard punch to the nose.

Deadshot was aggravated, tired of battling it out with Batman's bitch boys, and decided to stop playing fair. He aimed his wrist guns at both and took two shots, landing both of them effortlessly as Tommy and Johnny distracted them. Robin was hit in the shoulder and Nightwing was hit just a few inches above his heart, but there was no blood. "Armor?" Deadshot gave Nightwing an exasperated look and cocked back, flinging his fist right into Nightwing's mouth. "Y'all are _really_ starting to piss me off."

"Listen, kid, I really don't want to beat the shit out of you, but you're not giving me much of a choice," Tommy had his hands up, squaring off with Robin while Johnny helped Deadshot out with Nightwing. Johnny had tackled Nightwing from behind, attempting a sleeper hold on the thrashing man.

Robin chuckled, shaking his head. "You can try," he taunted, circling Tommy. "I might surprise you."

GCPD swarmed the basement and there was a frenzy. There was a hail of gunfire, a bunch of shouting, smoke, and a big brawl. Everything came to a halt when Commissioner Gordon entered the fray, letting off a shot into the ceiling.

Joker took that split second to give Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot all a subtle nod. It was understood by all four of them at that moment that they were all going to Blackgate, and they were going willingly. Everyone in the house had agreed, after Jester announced her pregnancy, that if they ever got caught and things got a little too hairy or escaping seemed impossible, they'd allow themselves to be taken into custody and figure out an escape later on. The reason behind the agreement was to prevent the GCPD or the Bat-Family from finding the mansion and, essentially, taking all of them in. None of them stood a chance of escaping if they were all locked up – they needed to _at_ _least_ have Johnny loose.

"Gordon! So nice to see you." Joker smirked at him, his face covered in dried blood and sporting a black eye. His smirk broke into a grin and Commissioner Gordon grimaced at the sight of Joker's blood-stained metal grills. The blood mixed with his saliva and dripped down his chin, making the clown look more feral than usual. Joker didn't care, he relished in it, making a show of licking the blood off his lips and chin and cackling at the officers that shrank away from him in disgust and horror.

"Shut up, clown!" Commissioner Gordon looked at Batman and gave him a nod, signaling for the Bat to secure Joker and the boys.

"Watch the god damn suit," Deadshot snapped at Nightwing, glaring at him as the overzealous hero wrenched his arms behind his back. "I guarantee your broke ass ain't got the money to fix it."

"Why would I pay for such a tacky costume?" Nightwing jabbed, keeping an eye on Joker as Batman subdued him. He had an inkling that they were all going along with this a little too easily but he couldn't figure out why, unless they were trying to hide something... or someone. He hissed when Deadshot headbutted him, growling at him and punching him in the face.

"Oh, you gonna hit me while I'm handcuffed? You little bitch, just wait 'til I'm out – I'm comin' straight for _your_ ass." Deadshot winked at Nightwing, shooting him a grin. "And that ain't just a threat, homie. That's a promise."

"That's enough," Nightwing barked, yanking Deadshot along as Batman dragged Joker upstairs and out of the salon. Johnny and Tommy were escorted by Robin and Commissioner Gordon to a paddy wagon, separate from the one Joker and Deadshot would be transported in.

"Hey, look at that! We're traveling in style today, boys!" Joker blew a kiss at Batman as he was shoved into the paddy wagon and handcuffed to the bench across from Deadshot, shooting him a wink. "See ya soon, big guy!"

* * *

"Yo, Frankie!" Joker crowed from the stand he was currently strapped to, grinning like the madman he is as he was carted out of the processing area towards Death Row.

"Shut up, clown," Officer Boles growled, shifting his rifle towards Joker in warning.

"Aw, Frankie, don't tell me ya didn't miss me!" Joker continued to goad the guard, not taking his eyes off of him despite the feral glares the two guards pulling him were shooting him. Joker's grin disappeared in an instant, replaced with a menacing glower. "You might hurt my feelings."

The tone sent a chill down Officer Boles' spine and he visibly flinched, causing Joker to bark a laugh. "Come on, Frankie! Crack a smile! You look so grumpy!"

"That's enough!" The guard to Joker's right whacked Joker in the knee with his baton and Joker laughed hysterically.

"_Now_ we're getting somewhere!" Joker shouted gleefully, wriggling against his restraints with his excitement. "Do it again!"

"Can't we dose him or something?" The guard to the left grumbled, jerking Joker along a little more roughly than before.

The guard to the left shook his head and sighed. "Nope. The weirdo is immune to all that shit."

"'Weirdo'? I'm insulted, pal," Joker huffed and rolled his eyes. "At least call me something interesting. 'Weirdo' is so... _boring_."

The cart jerked to a halt, jarring Joker as they entered the elevator. He whistled loudly, enjoying how easily he was grating the guards' nerves. He could tell they were ignoring him in a weak attempt at reverse psychology, thinking that if they ignored him he'd eventually stop. He cackled loudly, causing the one on his left to shudder at the sound. The elevator descended to the bottom floor where they kept the maximum security and death row prisoners. "Home sweet home!" Joker singsonged, grinning from ear to ear. "Well? Let's go! Chop, chop! Things to do, people to see," he winked at Officer Boles and the man gave him a disdainful look, gripping his rifle a little tighter.

Joker's grin widened as they carted him through the dark, foreboding corridor past the rowdy maximum security prisoners, some chanting his name and others screaming threats and obscenities at the guards. He giggled when one prisoner covered in gang tattoos spit at the guard to his right. The guard cursed under his breath, wiping his face on his sleeve and keeping a firm hold on Joker's cart in his other hand, jerking it hard as he dragged Joker to Death Row. "Nice shot," Joker complimented, giving the wicked looking man a smug smirk.

He kept an eye out as they pulled him along for anyone he knew, trying to catch a glimpse of Deadshot, Tommy or Johnny. He figured they'd put Tommy and Johnny in maximum security, at least, but was surprised when he didn't see either of them. He knew Deadshot would be locked away in the bowels of Death Row, the same as he would be. He caught sight of Deadshot as they neared the end of Death Row, right by the entrance to the Execution Chamber. Joker didn't say a word when his and Deadshot's eyes met, simply giving him a slight nod in acknowledgment that Deadshot returned.

They knew they wouldn't be there long – he had already planned for something like this to happen and discussed it with Bane the night of Jester's birthday. Knowing Tommy and Johnny weren't in maximum security was good – that meant they could do their part on the upper floors with the freedom they'd have to go to the exercise yard. Things were already coming together exactly as he planned them which satisfied him greatly. He smirked as they shoved him into his cell, Officer Boles training his rifle on him as the two other guards unstrapped him from the cart and hesitantly removed his shackles. "Careful, boys! Don't wrinkle my uniform – I'd hate to look anything less than pristine."

"Shut up," one of the guards snarled, roughly yanking the shackles off of Joker's wrists.

Joker cocked his head and smirked at the burly man – he was tall with broad shoulders, thick muscles under his uniform, and bald with a long gray goatee. Joker could tell the man had worked at Blackgate for ages – he had that hardened, fearless and gruff look about him that most of the veteran guards here and at Arkham had. The other guard was average built with brown hair and a 5 o'clock shadow on his face. He could tell that one was younger, around his mid to late 20's, but he looked like he'd seen some shit in his life. Joker wondered if it was from his time as a guard here at Blackgate, from military service, or a rough childhood. He didn't bother to check their fancy little name plates on their uniforms – he doubted he'd see them very often. In fact, he was fairly confident he'd be seeing a lot of Officer Boles – his favorite Blackgate turncoat.

Frankie was on Joker's payroll and had been for years, ever since Joker's first stint in Blackgate. Frankie had a bit of a gambling addiction and had bookies coming for him left and right when Joker first met him, so Joker paid off his debts and _convinced _the bookies and their hired thugs to turn a blind eye when it came to Frankie after that. Joker also had Johnny slip envelopes full of cash and his signature Joker card into Frankie's house once a month – sometimes Johnny slipped them into the mail slot by the front door, sometimes he slipped them through Frankie's bedroom window, into the kids' room through the windows over their beds, or into Frankie's car where he'd find them on the passenger seat the next morning. Frankie had gotten the message loud and clear – if he didn't want his wife and kids slaughtered, he'd play along and do the Joker's bidding without a single complaint.

Joker continued to smirk and stood perfectly still as the guards threw down his bedding and basic supplies before retreating cautiously from his cell. He only lifted his hand to wiggle his fingers at them once they slammed his cell door shut, locking it up tight behind them. Once they were out of sight, Frankie made his way over to the glass from the opposite side and glared at Joker, not wanting to risk anything if the cameras picked up his movements. Joker grinned at him and took in his new little home, amused that they had done away with bars and opted for thick, bulletproof glass instead. "You know, this cell reminds me of Hannibal Lecter's," Joker mused, sticking a finger through one of the air holes in the glass. "I'm flattered." He tinkered with his little slot tray, wondering how many hands he could mutilate inside it during his stay.

"How's the family, Frankie?" Joker didn't take his eyes off of his little slot tray, already knowing Frankie had paled at his question.

"Fine," Frankie grumbled, trying not to let his aggravation at the subtle threat seep into his tone.

"Good, good. That's what I like to hear, Frankie," Joker's eyes finally met Frankie's and he chuckled, amused by the man's obvious discomfort. "Did ya get a chance to give my girl a heads-up? She hates it when I'm late for dinner, you know."

Frankie simply nodded, glancing around the dark, brick corridor before slipping a burner phone into the little slot. "Lawton's got one too," Frankie murmured, glancing around again.

"You keep doing that and they'll start to think you're paranoid or somethin', Frankie," Joker scolded, wagging his finger at him. "What's on my agenda tomorrow?"

"They're sending a psychiatrist down – her name is Elise Evans. She'll be here first thing in the morning after you shower and have breakfast," Frankie kept a tight grip on his rifle and a safe distance from the glass for show, just in case the cameras were being monitored.

"They're sending a woman down here? Into Death Row? Past all the animals in Max? So bold," Joker's eyes danced with mischief and it made Frankie's blood run cold. "Tell me about this uh... Elise."

"You're not gonna like it," Frankie lowered his voice a little and stepped closer to make sure they wouldn't be overheard – what he was about to tell the Joker would elicit one of two reactions, one being blind rage and the other being amusement. "She, uh... well, she kinda looks like your girl."

Joker snatched the phone from the tray and fought the urge to slam it shut, seething. "What?"

The cold, evil look on Joker's face made Frankie want to take off running – he knew it didn't bode well for the little Doctor. He shifted his feet and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to smooth down the hairs that had stood up. "I think they're trying to butter you up, you know? She's short, got black hair and pretty eyes, fake tan... uh, dresses in dark colors and she's kinda built like Jester."

Joker scoffed, his feral expression quickly turning into one of pure amusement and glee. "How considerate of them to try and ease my homesickness," he purred, grinning at Frankie. "I'll have to send them some 'thank you' cards."

Frankie shuddered, picking up on Joker's _real_ intentions – he'd be killing the staff, their family members, or sending them some manner of severed human organs or body parts to send a message.

"Now, Frankie," Joker beckoned Frankie closer with a crook of his finger. "You remember the rules, don't ya?"

Frankie swallowed hard and cleared his throat, trying to maintain his composure as he recited them verbatim to Joker. "Rule one: warn you ahead of time of any cell tosses. Rule two: get messages to Johnny immediately. Rule three: don't piss you off. Rule four: always take the night shift and shut the cameras off when told to. Rule five: break any of the rules, snitch to the cops, or run to the Batman and die a horrible, miserable, excruciating death after watching you slaughter my family."

"Good boy," Joker praised, winking at Frankie. "Johnny already knows what to do. Keep an eye on him and Tommy for me and let me know if there's any trouble. Same with Lawton – and give him a message for me,"

Frankie nodded, giving Joker his full attention. "Tell my buddy Deadshot not to end up in solitary – that's _my _room."

"Oh, that motherfucker! That stupid vigilante son of a bitch! I'll kill him, I'm telling you! I'll kill the entire fucking Bat Family! In fact, I'm going _right_ _now!_" Jester was at the top of her voice, the veins in her neck straining as she yelled and stomped her way through the house. She had begun slipping into her trench coat when she felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her mid-rant.

"Littlest clown," Scarecrow shot her a scolding look, stopping her movements completely. "You are being irrational and impulsive. Slow down. We will handle this _together." _

"Yeah, good luck tellin' Harls and Selina that," Jester chuckled darkly when she heard them scrambling from the living room and into the kitchen, shouting and cussing at the top of their lungs just as she had been. "Godspeed," Jester winked at Scarecrow, a smug look on her face when both women slammed the kitchen door open so hard the doorknob ripped a giant hole in the wall.

"BLACKGATE?" Catwoman was hissing like a feral animal, so angry she was nearly foaming at the mouth.

"How the fuck did they find our guys?!" Harley was standing beside Catwoman and looking murderous.

"Yes, Blackgate," Jester confirmed, trying to tamp down her rage as she resumed pulling on her coat. "As for how, I have no fucking clue."

"We'll get them out," Scarecrow's voice was as soothing as he could possibly make it, trying to rein in all three womens' tempers before they burned the damn house down or slaughtered the entire population of Gotham City like cattle. "Just let me get everyone together and we'll make a plan, alright? I need you ladies to trust me." He knew the words _'calm down' _were the equivalent of a bomb detonator and did his best to avoid using them altogether.

"Boles leaked it to Vicki Vale," came a calm voice from just behind Harley and Catwoman.

Everyone's heads swiveled around to find Poison Ivy in all her green, glowing glory standing in the hall. "I've been listening to the flora."

"Frankie fucking Boles," Jester murmured, her eyes widening in realization. "Frankie _fuckin_' Boles!"

She made a mad dash for the kitchen counter, searching for the phone book she kept in the junk drawer. She remembered Joker rolling his eyes at her, annoyed by her insistence that they needed one, but she was sure as hell glad she had filled it out anyway. She snatched it from the drawer, flipping it open and skimming through the pages until she found his name. "YES!"

"Brilliant," Scarecrow complimented, still being cautious amid the raging females.

Jester picked up her phone to call him and raised an eyebrow when she saw a missed call, a voicemail, and a text message from the same number. "No shit," she muttered, unlocking the screen and opening the text message.

_'J sends his regards from Death Row – F.B.' _

"They've got them in Death Row – well, J at least." She hurriedly typed up a message to send back, chewing on her lower lip as her anxiety crawled up her spine.

_'How soon?' _

She knew Frankie would understand what she was asking and forced herself to put the phone down, taking a deep breath to try and calm herself. Ace's shrill cries immediately caught her attention and she sighed, shaking her head. "Can't be mad at anyone but myself for that one – I'm the asshole that went around shrieking like a fucking velociraptor."

"I've got him," Poison Ivy's tone was calm, soothing, and just what all three women needed to relax. She made her way towards the stairs and quickly ascended them, excited to see her favorite little human.

"How the hell are we gonna break 'em out? They're half of us, ya know? We're down four guys to bust out four guys!" Harley tugged at her pigtails and stomped her foot childishly, huffing in annoyance and frustration.

"I've been there enough times, we can do it. We don't need their help. It'll be the four of us and Ivy." Catwoman rubbed Harley's back, doing her best to calm her down before she went on a rampage through the house.

"No," Jester cut in. "Somebody's gotta stay home with Ace – I can't risk those fuckers taking my baby, too."

"True," Scarecrow muttered, stroking his chin and mulling it all over. "I think we should call Bane."

"Excellent idea," Jester muttered, picking her phone back up. She shoved aside her annoyance at not receiving a response from Frankie yet and scrolled through her contacts, calling Bane up.

"_Mortifera?" _Bane was surprised at hearing from her at such a late hour, she was usually sleeping around this time every night.

"We've got a big fuckin' problem," Jester grit out, clenching her jaw as her rage from minutes before surged through her veins again.

"_On my way." _Bane hung the call up and Jester put the phone back down on the counter, leaning against it and dropping her head in her hands.

"How the _fuck _did they get caught? All four of them? HOW?"

"Knowing them, I guarantee they gave up easy to avoid leading the bastards back here." Catwoman had a point, and both Harley and Jester nodded in agreement.

"Sounds about right," Harley agreed, sighing dramatically. "Stupid boys."

"And J was always worried _I_ was the one that would get caught," Jester rolled her eyes, raking a hand through her hair. "Idiot."

Scarecrow chuckled, taking her into his arms and stroking her hair. "We know you're the master of stealth – aside from Selina, of course."

"Of course," Catwoman purred, flashing her claws teasingly at Scarecrow.

"Should we call someone else? I don't even know what the fuck to do right now." Jester's head was spinning – it seemed like one minute Joker was home with her, cuddling with her and Ace on the couch as they watched Netflix, and now he was in Death Row and she didn't even understand how the hell it happened.

"We should probably call that cop – Luis, right?" Scarecrow flipped through the phone book, looking for the cop's name. He found it and pulled out his own phone, sending a quick, concise text to the man.

"Who else?" Jester asked no one in particular, drumming her nails along the kitchen island as she tried to organize her rampant thoughts.

"I hate to say it, but... maybe we should track down Riddler." Catwoman shot Jester an apologetic look and put her hands up in a gesture of surrender at the angry look on Jester's face. "He's good with technology – he can hack the system at Blackgate and get us in."

"Shit," Jester muttered, realizing Catwoman was right. "Yeah, fine. I guess we're gonna need to call more people. One guard, one cop, four of us, Bane, and Riddler aren't enough – not for Blackgate. Arkham is child's play compared to god damn Blackgate." 

"Let me see what I can do," Scarecrow offered, kissing Jester on the forehead before slipping outside to the back deck to make some calls in private.

"Looks like Straw Man's got a few aces up his sleeve," Harley was grinning wickedly, waggling her eyebrows at Jester.

"Indeed," Catwoman agreed, slinging an arm around Harley's shoulders.

"Let's just get our idiots back," Jester laughed at herself, along with her friends, and plopped down into a stool just as Poison Ivy made her way back into the kitchen with a highly amused looking Ace cradled in her arms.

"I'd like to help with Blackgate," Poison Ivy offered, giving the other three women a serious look. "It's on an island, after all, and we don't have submarines or helicopters. I can be of great use."

"Who will stay with Ace?" Jester bit her lower lip, looking across the island at her son as he giggled and tugged at Poison Ivy's hair. The vain woman didn't mind at all, grinning down at him as he continued to mercilessly yank at her gorgeous red locks.

"I will." Doctor Davis stood in the doorway, locking eyes with Jester. "I promise I'll keep him safe – besides, no one knows this place exists. They won't be looking for it, and as long as none of you lead anyone back to it, no one will find it."

"She's got a point," Harley offered, jabbing a thumb in Doctor Davis' direction. "The dogs are here and she's good with the kid, ya know?"

"Yeah," Jester smiled at Doctor Davis. "I know."

Joker sat on his cold, hard cot and ate his stale, gritty oatmeal and slimy fruit, washing it down with bitter coffee. It had taken everything in his power to restrain himself from calling or texting Jester all night, knowing that if he did she'd stay up all night rapid-fire texting him or talking his ear off. He wouldn't mind – he'd love to hear her voice or even just get a simple message from her, but she didn't get any sleep as it was and he wanted her to rest. He knew Frankie had leaked the news to Vicki Vale and could just picture the women in the house going batshit crazy when they found out what happened. At least they knew where he, Deadshot, Tommy and Johnny were. He wondered if Jester had slept at all, hoping that Scarecrow and Ivy were able to calm them all down enough so they would sleep through the night. He thought about Ace and wondered if babies were smart enough to know when one of their parents was missing. He frowned at the thought, hoping his son wasn't sad about his absence.

It had only been about 24 hours but he missed them – he missed Jester's voice and Ace's big, blue eyes. He missed feeling Jester's warm, soft skin against his and the feel of cradling his son in his arms. He wondered if they were all awake yet, who was feeding Ace, if Jester was taking a relaxing bath to prepare herself for the day. He wondered if she had called anyone – any of their 'allies', or if she was already storming her little ass to Blackgate to break him out. He chuckled at the image of her in her new body suit, armed to the teeth and beating the snot out of guards that dared to get in her way. He hoped someone had talked her off the ledge – he knew she was just as impulsive and irrational as he could be and that her first reaction was probably to do exactly that. He found himself feeling thankful that Scarecrow hadn't been with them and was at the mansion – he always managed to calm Jester down and soothe her. He was like the voice of reason in the house. Well, one of them. The others were stuck in this hell hole with him, probably eating the same shitty breakfast and wondering about similar things.

"Mister Joker," the small, soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he growled at the interruption through clenched teeth. He snapped up from his cot, dumping his tray and its contents all over the floor and stalked up to the glass, glaring down his nose at the woman. Frankie was right – she was almost identical to Jester. Well, when Jester was still Raven, that is.

She stood a couple of inches taller than Jester, around 5'4" or 5'5", and weighed a little more. Her figure was different – she had smaller breasts, an hourglass figure, and longer legs than Jester. Her hair was jet black and long like Jester's used to be, but her eyes were amber – not green, much to his delight. She had, as Frankie said, a fake tan of sorts. He could tell she spent a few hours a week in one of those dreadful contraptions that screamed 'skin cancer'. Her nails were different than Jester's – Jester always kept hers painted black, silver, or other dark colors but this woman wore french-tipped acrylics. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. She dressed similarly to Jester, he supposed. She walked a fine line between business professional and inappropriate – her blouse was a shimmery silver color with a deep v-neck, showing off her cleavage in what he assumed she considered to be a 'tasteful' manner, and a tight black pencil skirt with 'fuck me' black heels on. The blouse she wore had thin spaghetti straps and Joker just knew she had probably worn a fashionable blazer or sweater over it, but it was nowhere to be found at the moment.

"How brave of you," he sneered, narrowing his eyes at her, "to wear something so... _suggestive _down here."

"Excuse me?" Joker almost laughed at her angry expression. He could tell she was a little spitfire and it made him want to push her buttons even more. He wanted to see how far he could push her before he catapulted her off the edge and sent her into a blind rage or a fit of tears.

"My apologies," Joker feigned contriteness, giving the woman a small smile that was as fake as her nails. "Did I say_ brave_? I meant _stupid_."

She straightened her spine and schooled her expression into a more professional, serious one and ignored his insult. "I am Doctor Evans. You and I will be meeting for two hours a day, every day, from 10 AM until 12 PM. Unfortunately there isn't a designated session room here, so we will have to make do with this."

Joker rolled his eyes and turned away from her, striding over to the foot of his cot and sitting back down, staring up at the ceiling instead of at her as if she wasn't even there.

"Joker, I wasn't expecting us to get off on a good start, but I'd at least like to cover the basics during our first session."

Joker laughed, the sound humorless and cold. His gaze snapped over to her and he noticed the way her eyes widened a fraction in fear, her posture stiffening. "You," he growled, pointing a pale finger accusingly at her. "_You, you, you. _You think you're so clever showing up here in your skimpy little outfit, doing your best to look like my Jester. You know," he smirked at her, pinning her with his gaze. "I know your natural color isn't black. Your eyebrows are brown – you have chestnut colored hair, I bet. That tan is as fake as your nails, and you got the makeup wrong. Jester never wore that much shit on her face – you look like a caked up hooker."

"Is it your goal to land yourself in solitary on your first day?" She clapped back, fighting the urge to cross her arms defensively over her chest.

"Insulted?" Joker cocked his head at her, grinning wickedly. "That makes two of us, Doc."

"Why don't we talk about Raven?" Doctor Evans maintained her composure, determined not to let him unnerve her any further.

"Her _name_ is Jester," Joker snapped, stalking his way back to the glass between them like a panther. He stood as close as he could, forcing her to step back as he loomed over her, his eyes slowly turning darker. "You would do well not to bring her up again."

"Is that a threat?" Doctor Evans shot him a challenging look despite how far she now stood from his cell, ignoring the cat calls, whistles, and obscenities echoing down the stone corridor from the other inmates.

"Scared already, Doc?" Joker raised his eyebrows and folded his hands behind his back, shooting her an amused look.

"Not at all," she shot back, stepping back up to the glass. 

"So just stupid and slutty then? Got it." Joker giggled at the hint of annoyance in her eyes.

Doctor Evans let the insult roll off her, knowing this was her one and only shot at keeping Joker as a client and proving her worth to her superiors. If she wanted a permanent position in Arkham once it was successfully rebuilt and operating, she needed to make some kind of progress with Joker. Of course, her superiors tossed her at the Joker because of her resemblance to Raven Ali before she was Jester, thinking it could help crack the Joker or cause a reaction of some kind. Granted, it had worked, but not in the way her superiors were hoping. She just seemed to be pissing him off with her mere presence – apparently he didn't appreciate anyone resembling his sidekick.

"Batman told Commissioner Gordon that you barely put up a fight when he captured you. Is that true?"

"Oh, Batsy," Joker chuckled, shaking his head. "Always the detective."

"He's good at it," Doctor Evans said confidently.

"Gets ya wet between the thighs, huh Doc?" Joker waggled his eyebrows at her and cackled, the sound echoing through the hall and silencing the other inmates. He grinned when he heard Deadshot snickering a couple of cells away, no doubt amused by Joker's antics. "Next time I see him, I'll put in a good word for ya."

"If you're going to be childish and petty, I'm going to end this session. We can try again tomorrow – maybe you'll be a little more mature."

Joker rolled his eyes and groaned. "Sweetheart, did you forget who you're speaking with? I'm the _Joker. _What were you expecting? Impeccable manners and stimulating conversation? If that's the case, I highly suggest Riddler – he's a much more suitable match for ya."

"Have a good day, Joker. We will pick this back up tomorrow." Doctor Evans turned to walk away but froze in her tracks when he laughed gleefully behind her. She turned back around to find him standing in the middle of his cell looking like a kid in a candy shop, grinning from ear to ear. He cocked his head to the side and she noticed his raven tattoo, trying to make out the small letters in between the birds' spread wings.

"See something ya like, Doc?" He taunted her, slowly stretching his neck a little more, exposing more of his throat to her. There was a wicked glint in his eyes as she came closer, examining all of the tattoos on his throat, not noticing the way he watched her and even rolled his head around to give her a better view.

"These are for her," Doctor Evans whispered, coming even closer to the glass and looking closer at the 'Property of Jester' tattoo in the middle of his throat.

"Well look at the big brain on you," he jabbed, barking another laugh.

She snapped out of her daze and startled a little when her eyes met his icy blue ones. A chill ran down her spine and her blood ran cold when she realized how dead they looked – those were the eyes of a madman. A madman that murdered thousands of people for his own amusement – a madman that could kill her easily from where he stood despite the bulletproof glass separating them. There was nothing in his eyes but the promise of death, destruction, and pain, and it made her heart stop.

"You aren't the first rookie to try and use me for personal gain," he whispered coldly, leaning down until he was eye-to-eye with her through the glass. "If I were you, I'd quit. Your superiors threw you at me, hoping your..." his eyes narrowed and her breath hitched in her throat, fear racing through her veins at the sight of the vicious expression on his face, "_resemblance _to my girl would crack me. They sent _you_ – small, timid, and dressed provocatively – down to the bowels of the prison, through Maximum Security without an escort of any kind or any means of calling for help."

"You're all locked behind bulletproof glass and monitored by cameras and guards," she argued weakly, stumbling back when his tight, thin lips cracked into a smirk.

"Do you really think, Doctor Evans, that this glass will protect you from _me? _Did you even bother to do any research on me before you met with me this morning?"

"I read your file," she confirmed, her voice wavering from her fear. "I know what you've done."

"That file is full of nonsense written by every Doctor that came before you and _failed, _just like you'll fail. You are nothing but a pawn in a much, much bigger game – over 200 Doctors haven't been able to even chip away at the surface – they'll do _anything _to make me crack. You're _bait_, Doc. Do you know that I've killed most of those Doctors? Do you know how many times I've broken out of Arkham – out of _here_?" He spread his arms wide, motioning around his cell. "I've murdered _thousands_ of people, all with a big, happy grin on my face. You're green, kid, and it shows. They sent you down here to fail, or to die."

"You don't know me," Doctor Evans argued. "I'm not weak!"

"Aren't you?" Joker paced back and forth along the glass, watching her like a hawk as he moved, his strides slow and precise. "The entire time you have stood before me, you have shown me nothing but weakness and fear. Every tick of your jaw, every goose-bump on your skin, every hair raised on your arms, every widening of your eyes and every shuffle of your feet. You know," he stopped in front of her, shooting her a smirk, "I gotta give you credit, Doc. You've done a better job of hiding it than some veterans in the field, which is commendable – but I'm not easy to fool."

"I'm not afraid of you," she snapped, glaring at him and straightening her spine once more.

"Prove it," Joker taunted, leaning down and coming so close his nose was a hair away from the glass that separated them. "Come inside."

"That's against protocol," she argued, glancing briefly down the long corridor towards the guards station at the opposite end.

"Is it?" Joker challenged her, keeping his gaze glued to her and enjoying the way she seemed to shrink once more under his scrutiny. "I think you're just a scaredy-cat."

"I am not!" She looked back into his eyes and he noticed a flare of determination in them. He straightened up, keeping his hands folded behind his back.

"Prove it, or I'll refuse our sessions from now on. You want to stick it to your superiors, don't you?"

"If I go in there," she motioned to his cell with her hand, trying to hide the way it trembled, "will you kill me?"

"I haven't decided yet," Joker said coolly, still pinning her with his gaze.

"If I go in there, you won't refuse our sessions?"

"You have my word," Joker winked at her, taking a step back from the glass.

She glanced once more down the corridor and fought back the shudder that threatened to rack her body. "I need your word that you won't hurt me."

"Now Doc..." He clicked his tongue and waggled his finger at her, scolding her, "where's the fun in that?"

"I'm not going in there unless you give me your word."

"Either you come in here, or you get thrown off my case faster than you can say 'Uncle J!'" He raised his eyebrows at her and she sighed, shaking her head.

"This is the worst decision I will ever make," she muttered. Joker heard her and chuckled, taking another step back from the glass.

"Tick, tock, Doc."

"Fine." Doctor Evans squared her shoulders and gave him a warning look before reaching down to unlock the padlock at the bottom of his cell. Once she had it in her hand, she reached up and unlocked the other one, pulling it from its loop and gripping it tight in her hand with the other one. Finally, she unlocked all three different locks on his cell door and swiped her badge in the electronic card reader, taking a deep breath as she slowly opened his cell door and slipped inside. The soft _click _behind her forced her to come to terms with the fact that she was now inside Joker's cell with him – sure, the door was unlocked, but she wasn't stupid enough to think she'd outmaneuver him.

"Well, well," Joker growled, slowly advancing on her. "I suppose you _do _have a spine after all."

"If you hurt me, I'll scream," she threatened, flattening herself against the stone wall of his cell.

Joker cackled, continuing to advance on her until he was nearly nose-to-nose with her, effectively caging her in with his arms on either side of hers. "Those morons won't get here in time. I'll be bathing in your blood by the time they even get up out of their seats."

She said nothing, watching him carefully and maintaining eye contact. Her heart was slamming in her chest, her skin tingled, fear crawled up her spine and her stomach churned. She felt adrenaline slam through her and her fight-or-flight response kicked in. She knew she was stuck where she was, too small and weak to try and fight him off, so she stood her ground instead and resigned herself to the idea that she'd have to claw, bite, and kick her way out of this if he attacked her.

"Congrats, Doc," Joker grinned at her, amused at the thin sheen of sweat on her forehead and exposed chest, her rapid breathing, and her wide eyes. "Looks like you'll stay on my case another day."

"That's... that's it? That's all you wanted?" Her voice wavered and she silently cursed herself for letting her fear show.

"For today," Joker adopted a bored expression, backing off of her and sitting back down on the edge of his cot. He dismissed her with a flick of his wrist and she wasted no time scrambling out of his cell, locking it up tight and replacing both padlocks.

"I will see you tomorrow at 10 AM," she murmured, turning away to leave.

"Doc," he called after her, a subtle threat in his tone. "Don't show up here looking like a cheap imitation of my Jester again. I'd hate to have to skin you alive so soon."

She didn't dare to look back at him as she power walked away from his cell, breaking into a sprint once she was sure she was out of his sight. She ignored the strange looks the guards gave her as she dashed by them, panting and sweating and looking every bit like a gazelle running from a lion.

She didn't stop running until she burst through a side door in the prison, taking a deep breath of fresh air, crumbling against the wall and landing on her knees in the damp grass. He had been so close – _too_ close – and he could have killed her. She cursed herself and her stupidity, drawing her knees up to her chest and dropping her head on them, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rocked herself slowly, letting the tears she had been holding in stream freely down her face – after all, it was raining and no one would know she had cried. She could allow herself this one moment of absolute weakness.

"Arkham better fucking pay well," she hissed, burrowing her head deeper into her knees. "It better be worth it."


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews, favorites & follows! You guys are the best! :) I appreciate every single one of you! Keep the reviews coming, I love hearing from you!

* * *

Jester woke up to her phone vibrating, cracking one eye open to find it and snatching it off the nightstand. She rolled onto her back and opened both eyes, furrowing her eyebrows at the unknown number on her screen. The number had sent 3 text messages and, to satisfy her burning curiosity, she opened them up. Once she realized who they were from, she beamed and sat up, typing a response as fast as she could.

_'9:17 AM: Good morning, gorgeous. Miss and love you both. Give Ace a kiss for me.' _

_'10:53 AM: Already had a visit with the Doc. They dared to send me a 'Raven' lookalike. Not happy – scared the soul out of her. No one can compare to you, baby.' _

_'11:01 AM: Would ya wake up and pay attention to me? I'm going craaaaazy here, he he he! They've got me in the last cell next to the entrance of the Execution Chamber. I think they're trying to tell me something.' _

Her heart soared with the knowledge that he missed her just as much and was thinking of her, too. She slipped into her robe and padded out of the bedroom and into Ace's room, smiling down at him as he slept. "Daddy misses you, little man. Don't you worry, we'll be bringing him home soon. Mama won't let him stay there too long."

"No, she won't," Scarecrow was leaning against the door frame and smiled at her when she turned to face him, opening his arms and wrapping them tightly around her when she snuggled into him. "Did you sleep?"

"A little," she murmured, burying her head in his chest. "Couldn't get comfortable, couldn't stop thinking about J, couldn't stop worrying about D.S., Tommy, and Johnny."

"They'll be fine," Scarecrow assured her, chuckling softly. "They can handle themselves."

"Tommy's never been to prison, though," Jester argued. "Blackgate is... shit, Blackgate is a hell hole. He could be killed."

"Do you really think Tommy is that weak? Or that Deadshot, Johnny, and Joker won't look out for him? Going into Blackgate or Arkham as one of Joker's guys is a good thing – it makes the person untouchable. He will be fine – no one would be bold enough to touch someone that Joker has a claim of any kind on."

"If you're sure," Jester sighed, wrapping her arms tight around Scarecrow.

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I'm positive, darling. Let's get you some food." With that, he took her by the hand and led her downstairs and into the kitchen and set to work making breakfast and coffee for everyone. Harley, Catwoman, and Doctor Davis came down shortly after Jester and Scarecrow and settled themselves at the kitchen table, all looking exhausted.

"I heard from my puddin," Harley mumbled, still half asleep in her chair.

"Yeah? That's awesome. I got a few texts from J," Jester grinned and fixed her coffee just the way she liked it, politely thanking Scarecrow for making it.

"Tommy texted me too... how are they managing that?"

"Boles," Scarecrow answered, winking at them. "He's been on Joker's payroll for years. He's always been Joker's ace in the hole in Blackgate."

"Well God bless him," Jester muttered, digging into her omelet. "I'd be a fucking freak show if I didn't have any kind of contact with them." She looked to Catwoman and Harley and frowned. "How are they? Are they alright?"

Catwoman knew what Jester was really asking her and smiled reassuringly. "Tommy's doing great – he's enjoying his status as prison royalty. Apparently, Joker's guys are held in pretty high regard in Blackgate. They run the place."

Harley nodded. "Puddin said he's fine too, he's down in Death Row with Joker, a couple cells away. Said Joker made a fool of his Doc this morning."

Jester grinned wickedly, almost choking on her omelet. Once she had chewed and swallowed, she cleared her throat. "They sent him a Raven lookalike. He said he scared the soul out of her."

"Yeah, Puddin' said she was runnin' for her life down the corridor."

Jester dissolved into wicked, cruel laughter, her sides and stomach aching as she struggled to stop. "Oh! Oh, that's so good to hear! That's my man!"

They all laughed at that, even Doctor Davis, and only stopped at the sound of Ace's cries upstairs.

"I've got it," Scarecrow said, gently pushing Jester back down into her seat when she tried to get up. "Eat."

"You're too good to me," Jester said sweetly, flashing him a big grin.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she quickly pulled it out, dancing in her seat in her excitement.

_'Maybe you'll sleep better if you relax, princess. Tell me how much you miss me... in detail.' _

Jester chuckled at the text, shaking her head. "Such a perv."

"Well he sure as hell waited longer than my Puddin' did," Harley quipped, shooting Jester a saucy wink.

Catwoman said nothing, avoiding eye contact. Jester noticed the slight blush creeping into her cheeks and laughed, not daring to say a word.

"Let's finish breakfast, get ready, make these men our bitches and get our boys out, whaddya say?"

"Hell yeah!" Harley screeched, quickly clearing the table while Catwoman washed the dishes. Doctor Davis was still eating, taking her time as she read the paper and digested all the drama and gossip about the goings-on in Gotham City.

Jester helped, drying dishes as Catwoman washed them and putting them away. "Not gonna lie... I kind of like the peace and quiet we've got goin' on."

All four women exchanged knowing looks and burst out laughing again, barely noticing Scarecrow as he made his way back into the kitchen with a cranky Ace in his arms.

* * *

"I ain't doin' shit to help that whacko!" The small, ragged-looking prisoner screeched, glaring at Tommy.

Tommy laughed, taking in the appearance of the other man – grayish hair falling out in tufts from his head, a scraggly beard, thick-rimmed glasses, and he was skin and bone. He wasn't much taller than Jester and weighed so little that his skin was stretched taut over his bones.

"I'll remember that," Tommy laughed, shooting the frantic man a wink before making his way back over to Johnny in the concrete exercise yard. He scanned the 'Jungle', as the inmates called it, taking in all the prisoners filling it and the snipers in the guard towers watching all of them as if dying for an excuse to mow them all down.

"Yo, Razor," Johnny motioned Tommy over with his hand, never once turning his back on the group he stood with. "Come meet some of the boys."

Tommy nodded curtly, sauntering over to the group and looking down his nose at most of the deranged, rough-looking men. He could tell some of them had been in here quite a long time from their dirty jumpsuits and feral behavior.

"J's got this pretty boy runnin' things with you now?" One of the men eyed him skeptically, raising a thick, gnarled eyebrow.

"Watch your mouth," Johnny barked, stepping up in the man's face. "That's Jester's cousin you're talkin' about. You trying to die?"

"Shit," the man hissed, backing off from Johnny. He glanced at Tommy and gave him a small nod. "My bad, man. Didn't mean no harm."

"I'm sure," Tommy drawled, rolling his eyes.

"You don't look like her," one of the other guys said. Tommy shifted his gaze over to him and smirked. The guy was impressive, that was for sure. He was almost as large as Bane, with hulking muscles, a bald head, a scruffy black beard, and tattoos from his neck down. "Hammer," the guy offered, sticking out a large, calloused hand. Tommy took it, giving it a firm shake and never breaking eye contact – his Uncle Dave taught him since he was young to always maintain eye contact, always keep a firm handshake, never to turn his back on anyone, and never to show weakness or fear of any kind. Tommy knew this was Johnny's way of testing their loyalty – if they challenged Tommy or put a hand on him, it would be seen as disloyalty and they'd be killed viciously to set an example.

"Well, I haven't taken a tumble into an acid vat," Tommy quipped, his smirk replaced with a creepy grin.

"I know you," one of the men standing behind Hammer said, coming around to stand at Hammer's side. He pointed a finger at Tommy and squinted his eyes as he looked him over. "Yeah, you're Big Dog's nephew. His Godson, right?"

Tommy refused to let his shock bleed into his expression, keeping his cool as he nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

"My condolences," the guy offered, shaking Tommy's hand. "He was a good dude."

"Thanks, man," Tommy released the guy's hand and clapped him on the shoulder, turning slightly to look at Johnny. "Scrawny over there ain't gonna be any help. He was pretty vocal about it."

"Fuck him, we can find another nerd to do it," Johnny gave a nonchalant shrug, scanning the other inmates around the yard. He recognized some of Black Mask's old men along with some of Falcone's and Maroni's. "Alright, boys..." Johnny looked at their group of misfits and gave them all a hard look. "Roundup Black Mask's and Falcone's guys – they belong to J now. You know what to do if they refuse."

Hammer grinned maliciously, cracking his knuckles loudly over the chatter among their group. "I love it when they refuse," he growled, making his way over to a group of Black Mask's guys that he knew from his many, many stints here in Blackgate.

"That was easy," Tommy gave a low whistle as he watched their guys rampage through the exercise yard, intimidating and threatening other guys he didn't recognize. He laughed with Johnny when Hammer grabbed two men smaller than him, yet still pretty tough and scary looking, and knocked their heads together viciously before dropping them on the ground like yesterday's trash. "Ah, I guess they're not team players. I wonder what J and Deadshot are getting up to."

Johnny grinned. "Oh, I already know. Joker is already traumatizing his new Doc and Deadshot is doing some of his finest weapon work. They're in Death Row, way down on the bottom floor past Max. It makes it easier to get them out from there."

"How?" Tommy was incredulous – it didn't make sense. The bottom floor was lined with stone and brick, the cells were made of bulletproof glass, there were no windows and only one door in and out.

Johnny shook his head, giving Tommy a lopsided grin. "You've got a lot to learn, kid."

Tommy rolled his eyes and walked off to the weight area, deciding he'd rather spend his hour of 'exercise' time doing something physical.

"I'll spot ya," Johnny stood behind him as Tommy lay down on the bench press, scanning their immediate area for any unfriendly company. No one dared look their way and Johnny relaxed a little. There wouldn't be a riot – not today, at least. He covered his mouth, feigning a yawn as he whispered to Tommy. "Keep eyes in the back of your head, kid. Don't go anywhere alone, especially not in the Jungle or the showers. Sleep with one eye open. Joker's got enemies, and some of 'em are in here."

Tommy gave a slight nod as he exhaled, pushing himself to keep lifting. "Roger that," he muttered, already very well aware of a handful of guys on their cell block that didn't take very kindly to their arrival.

* * *

"What the fuck is this?" Deadshot raised his eyebrows at the guard standing outside his cell. He looked back down at the indistinguishable slop on his tray and scoffed. "You're gonna hand me this shit and act like it's all good?"

"Starve, then," the guard barked, glaring at Deadshot before turning to walk away.

"YO!" Deadshot threw his tray into the glass of his cell, shouting at the top of his voice. "You better turn your uppity white boy ass around and go get me some _real _food."

"What did you just say to me, _inmate?_" The young guard stalked back to Deadshot's cell, sizing him up through a clear patch of glass.

"I _said_ you're gonna take your scrawny cracker ass back up to that god damn kitchen and get me some real food, _junior._"

Joker's cackle a couple of cells down set off a chain reaction, causing the inmates in Death Row and Maximum Security to frenzy. All of the officers currently in the corridor, except for Officer Boles, seemed a little unsettled by the noise and drew their guns, barking orders for the inmates to quiet down. None of them listened – in fact, the noise got even louder.

"You talk a tough game for a guy standing behind some bulletproof glass," the guard sneered, tapping the barrel of his rifle against the glass to make his point.

"By all means, be my guest!" Deadshot motioned with his arm to the door of his cell, smirking at the guard. "You feelin' froggy? LEAP, bitch."

Joker's giggles a couple of cells down drowned out all other noise in the corridor, rising in volume as the seconds passed. "Oh!" He shouted, his voice thick with amusement, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, _Officer_."

Deadshot grinned at the guard, nodding his head towards his cell door.

The guard stared at Deadshot for a good minute but didn't move to unlock his cell, and Deadshot laughed.

"That's what I thought." Deadshot slammed his fist against the glass, chuckling when the guard flinched. "Now this is the part where I'd say something like 'when I get out this cell I'm gonna rain hellfire down on you', but I think I'll let my girl kick your punk ass up and down this corridor til the god damn cows come home instead."

"**HA HA HAAAA**!" Joker was beside himself in his cell, rolling around on his cot and clutching his sides as Officer Boles simply shook his head at him. "Harley's gonna have one _hell_ of a time with him!"

"Shoo," Deadshot dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand before picking up the now empty tray and shoving it back through the slot so hard it jammed into the guard's ribs. "Don't come back here with some shit like that ever again."

Deadshot waggled his fingers tauntingly at the guard as he walked away, mocking him while Joker's cackles and the noise in the corridor finally began to wind down.

"Say, Deadshot," Joker's voice echoed down the corridor, silencing everyone completely.

"'Sup, J?"

One of the guards remaining in the corridor stormed over to Joker's cell, slamming his hand against it. "Shut up!" He snapped, leering at Joker. Joker rolled his eyes and cracked his neck, fixing the guard with an amused look.

"Is _your _name Deadshot?" He blinked at the guard, neatly folding his hands behind his back. The guard faltered, not expecting the Joker to be so calm. Joker shot him a wink and turned his head in the direction of Deadshot's cell, clearing his throat before calling back out to him. "How 'bout a little friendly wager?"

Deadshot smirked, flopping down on his cot. "I'm down."

"I betcha $1,000 I'll get thrown in the hole before you do!"

Deadshot laughed, folding his arms under his head. "You trippin', I got two G's that says I end up there first!"

"Let the games begin," Joker purred, making eye contact with the guard still glaring at him from the other side of the glass. The grin that spread across his face made the hair on the back of the guard's neck stand up and he swiftly turned on his heel, storming back down the corridor to the guard post at the other end.

"Bet," Deadshot quipped, waiting for the guards' footsteps to recede before pulling his phone out of his mattress. He flipped it open and sent a text to Harley, grinning as he pictured her swinging on the guard he just faced off with in pure glee during their breakout.

* * *

After talking with Bane the night before, they all decided it would be best to call a meeting in the Port Adams area instead of at the Funhouse or the docks. There was still some heat on Joker and the rest of them after the murders at Falcone's club and with half of their little family in Blackgate, they didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. Just like the first meeting Jester ever attended – when they murdered Black Mask – there was a huge table in the middle of the room surrounded by all different criminals. Jester, Bane, Harley, Scarecrow, and Catwoman were at the meeting while Poison Ivy was home with Doctor Davis to help babysit Ace and Reina. The only ones that showed up to the meeting were Riddler, Two-Face, Mad Hatter, Copperhead, Double-Tap, Officer Frank Boles from Blackgate, Officer Luis Santos of the GCPD and Officer Daryl Deckard from the GCPD – both were on Joker's payroll. Bane had his henchmen keeping watch around the little boathouse since Jester didn't trust Joker's men from the Funhouse enough to have them anywhere near her.

"No." Riddler crossed his arms haughtily over his chest and turned his nose up at Jester from his seat across the room.

"RIDDLER!" Bane slammed his fist down on the table in front of him, smashing a hole in it in his fury. "You will do what is asked of you!"

Harley broke out in a fit of laughter, ignoring the dirty looks she got from some of the others as she shook in her mirth. "What a moron!"

"No Bane, it's alright," Jester smiled sweetly up at him and pat his arm affectionately. She didn't bother to look at Riddler as she continued, knowing just how to goad him into doing her bidding. "He's too crazy and belligerent anyway, you know? We can always find someone else – someone _better. _In fact, we could just break into Wayne Tower and get what we need to do it ourselves. I'm sure it can't be that difficult."

Riddler's face turned nearly as red as his hair and he lashed out, jumping out of his seat and balling his hands into fists at his sides. "I'm _right _here!" He screamed, breathing heavily.

"Temper, temper," Catwoman scolded, hiding her amusement behind a clawed hand.

"Bitch," Two-Face snapped, giving Catwoman a hateful look.

"Bite me," Catwoman drawled, rolling her eyes at him.

"Why am _I_ here?" Double-Tap looked bored out of his skull, huffing in annoyance at being stuck in an empty boathouse with all of the bickering Rogues.

Jester's gaze slid over to Double-Tap and he immediately regretted his rude remark when she pulled a gun on him, cocking the hammer back. "Am I fucking boring you?" Her tone was laced with ice and it made his blood run cold.

"Apologies," he muttered, putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "What can I do for ya?"

"You can shut the fuck up and listen – let's not forget you helped to set me up all those months ago." Jester kept her gun trained on him and gave him a big, wide grin before shifting her attention back to Riddler. "So you'll do it?"

"Assuming he _can _do it," Scarecrow taunted, smirking at the furious genius across the room.

"Shut up!" Riddler spat, glaring at Scarecrow. "I can do it! Just give me the badge!"

Scarecrow shrugged and slipped his old Blackgate badge out of his jacket pocket, flicking it swiftly across the table to Joker.

"One condition," Riddler lowered his head and whispered conspiratorially. "I want a bracelet."

"You want a... what?" Catwoman raised an eyebrow at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"A bracelet. You guys were quite rude to me in Arkham, not letting me into your little friendship circle and making your stupid friendship bracelets without me. I want a bracelet. And I want _you," _he pointed an accusing finger at Jester and narrowed his eyes at her, "to make it for me."

Jester rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sure, Riddler," she huffed.

"What will you have me do?" Copperhead finally joined the conversation. She leaned forward in her seat, her forked tongue flicking out of her mouth for a moment and making both of Two-Face's expressions grimace.

"Do what you do best – give the Bat-Family a run for their money and if you are so inclined, bite them and kill them slowly." Jester shot the snake-like woman a smirk that Copperhead eagerly returned. "And you," she shifted her attention back to Double-Tap and finally lowered her gun, resting it on the table. "You can shoot any little airmail packages of antidote that Batman might call in for himself."

"That's it? Shoot Batman's airmail into the damn water?" Double-Tap seemed insulted and Jester chuckled.

"No, that's not it. All of us will be putting our efforts into getting Joker, Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot out of that hell hole – and other pals, if we see any. That means fighting off the Bat-Family, trapping them if necessary, and keeping each other _alive. _Subduing guards, killing a whole lot of people, participating in the inevitable riot... it'll be a blast."

"Trapping the Bat-Family? How?" Two-Face looked interested for the first time since the meeting began and Bane laughed.

"If the cells are empty, Two-Face, they can be filled back up." He looked down at Jester and ruffled her hair. "Only one request, _Mortifera..."_

"Anything," Jester said honestly, leaning into Bane's side. He reminded her a little bit of her father – big and hulking with bulging muscles, dark skin, a booming voice, and a boisterous laugh. It was comforting, especially now while Joker and the others were in Blackgate. She was worried sick about Tommy, praying Johnny was watching his back at all times and keeping him out of trouble.

"Batman is mine. I will break him!" Bane eyed everyone at the table, making sure they knew it was a non-negotiable demand. No one argued with him, more than content to take their grievances and hostility out on the rest of the stupid rats.

"I do hope Talia shows up," Catwoman looked wicked, running her tongue along her upper lip and winking at Jester. "I'd love to use her face as a scratching post."

"I'm sure we'll all have a good chance to beat the snot out of all those vermin," Jester supplied, looking quite smug. "After all, I'd love to lay into Nightwing – he's a cocky motherfucker."

"Ugh," Harley groaned dramatically, shifting in her seat. "Mistah J told me about that prick, he sounds more annoying than even _me!" _

Two-Face was about to make a snide remark until Jester's glare pierced him from the opposite end of the table. He swallowed it down and avoided eye contact, not wanting to invoke the small clown's wrath.

"Alright, so you all know what to do, then? If it's gonna take us a week or two to prepare everything and get ready, we need to get to work." Jester looked at a very quiet Officer Boles sitting by equally quiet Officers Santos and Deckard. "Y'all good?"

Officer Boles sighed and nodded. "Good," he answered.

Both GCPD Officers took a good look at her before examining everyone else at the table. "We can't guarantee what you asked for, but we'll do our best." Daryl Deckard shot her a wink and Bane snapped his fingers in warning, jarring the flirtatious cop.

"If we can't get Gordon to the Funhouse, we'll get him to Blackgate as 'backup'. We'll take him right to you." Jester liked Luis, even though he was a crooked cop. He was all business tonight which she appreciated greatly – he showed her the proper respect all night, too, which earned him bonus points in her book. She briefly contemplated strangling Officer Deckard to death during the breakout and leaving his body to be trampled.

"I like that," Jester agreed, giving him a smirk. "Funhouse is priority – too far from Blackgate for Bats or the rest of the GCPD to get to, let alone find. If that doesn't work, Blackgate works too – he'll make the perfect hostage."

"That's all, folks!" Harley imitated Bugs Bunny's voice and giggled, throwing her arms up in the air. "See ya!" She grabbed her bat off the table and hopped up out of her seat, skipping over towards Jester where she sat between Bane and Scarecrow.

"Riddler – if you fuck this up, I'm coming to collect your head. Stay in touch." Jester gave him a dark look as he made to pass by and he stopped to regard her for a moment, playing with Scarecrow's old badge in his hands. "Make sure that badge has access to everything – and I do mean _everything."_

Riddler rolled his eyes and kept walking. "You got it, _boss_. Don't forget my bracelet."

Jester fought the urge to shoot him and paint the walls with his brains and tucked her gun back into her holster, letting Scarecrow help her up out of her seat like a proper gentleman.

"I'm fucking shot," Jester murmured, leaning against Scarecrow when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I know," he whispered into her hair, dropping a kiss to her temple just as Copperhead slithered her way over to them with a vial in her hand, the liquid inside a sickly green color. It had an eerie glow to it and Scarecrow gave Copperhead a dazzling smile as he took the vial from her, pocketing it carefully.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," Copperhead's thick accent piqued Jester's curiosity. She sounded like a female version of Bane – she wasn't surprised the two knew each other well and that Bane had thought to bring her in on their plans.

"You as well," Jester replied kindly, shaking the snake's hand. "I look forward to workin' with ya."

"I can't wait to see her bite somebody," Harley laughed, waggling her eyebrows at Copperhead. "Do they die real slow?"

"Really slow," Copperhead assured her. "Depending on how much venom I pump into them, of course."

"I wanna watch! Stick with us during the breakout, lady! I don't wanna miss the show." Harley made her way outside and to the Range Rover, slipping into the backseat beside Catwoman to wait for Jester.

Jester chuckled. "Harley's..." she looked to Scarecrow for some help trying to put her overly charismatic and violent friend into words, but he simply shrugged at her.

"Interesting," Copperhead supplied, giving Jester a knowing look. "We're going to have lots of fun." With that, the woman completely disappeared as if she was never there to begin with, and Jester swore she saw a cloud of black smoke in the woman's wake for just a second.

"She will be a good ally – she is loyal." Bane pat Jester on the head and nodded to Ruiz to get the cars ready. "She will also subdue any of the South American gangsters if they give you trouble"

"Did you two grow up together or something? Was she in prison with you?" Jester gave Bane a curious look.

Bane laughed. "No, _Jefa. _She and I met in Gotham at random. She's from a city close to Santa Prisca, she and I know some of the same people from back home. She's dangerous."

"I bet," Jester agreed. "Don't all the Copperheads claim they're from the same South American gang?"

Bane nodded. "Si... and they are. I do not know how the transformation takes place or if they are born as these snake hybrids, but I know they all come from the same gang and the same city."

"Interesting," Scarecrow mused, pulling Jester closer to him when she shivered from the cold wind blowing into the boathouse. She got cold very, very easily and spent a lot of her time lately bundled up in a ton of blankets in front of the fireplace in the living room.

"Was that her venom?" Jester pointed at Scarecrow's jacket and he nodded, noticing the raised eyebrow Bane was fixing him with. "I'll be creating a new strand of my fear toxin with it."

"Clever," Bane complimented. "Legend has it that the Copperheads' venom gives the victim hallucinations. They don't stalk their victims post-bite – the venom makes the victim see and hear the Copperhead that bit them wherever they go, laughing at them and fighting them to force the venom to reach their heart faster."

"That is precisely why I wanted it," Scarecrow had that feral, cruel, and creepy grin on his face that _screamed _'up to no good'.

Bane shuddered a little at Scarecrow's expression, knowing that the scrawny, pale man that seemed so non-threatening and timid was a force to be reckoned with once he put his mask on. He had seen Scarecrow in action many, many times and quite frankly, the man gave him the willies. "Let's get you home," Bane ushered Jester to her Range Rover and made sure she was settled and buckled up before closing her door and making his way to his H1. He and Ruiz were staying at the mansion that night along with Reina. The more Bane thought about it, the more he preferred the idea of staying at the mansion with them for added protection and help while Joker, Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot were gone. He knew Scarecrow was good with the women but felt bad leaving him in a mansion full of them with three of them being extremely hostile and stressed out.

He grinned as he drove himself and Ruiz to the mansion, knowing Jester would be excited about the three of them staying at the mansion until they broke the boys out of Blackgate.

* * *

"Hello Clarice," Joker choked on his laughter as he perfectly mimicked Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs, doubly amused when Doctor Evans just pursed her lips at him. "Oh come on, Doc! That was a good one!"

"You certainly seem to be in better spirits today," Doctor Evans observed, quirking an eyebrow at him. "Any specific reason for that?"

Joker smirked at her, slipping his hands into the pockets of his orange pants. "You seem to be surprised, Doc. Were you expecting me to be a sourpuss?"

Doctor Evans suddenly realized he was completely shirtless and raked her eyes down his form, from his tattooed neck to the v in his hips. She examined his chest, the skull with a Jester hat on and the splayed playing cards with a banner saying 'All in' over a scattered series of 'HA HA HA' tattoos. Her eyes widened a little at the huge 'JOKER' tattoo on his upper stomach and the wide, goofy grin that stretched just above the waistband of his pants. She made her way back up his body and looked at the tattoos on his arms – the Batman logo with a switchblade through it, 'HA HA HA' all over his one forearm, and others she couldn't quite make out aside from another large, wide grin on his other forearm that matched the ones on his abdomen and his hand.

"My eyes are up here," Joker feigned a scandalized expression, dramatically covering his well-defined chest with his tattooed hands.

Doctor Evans fought back the blush threatening to creep into her cheeks and quickly thought of something to say to salvage what was left of her dignity. "I wanted to make sure they had all your tattoos documented accurately in your file," she said matter-of-factly, giving him a firm nod.

Joker laughed, creeping closer to the glass that separated them. "If you're gonna lie to me, you've gotta do better than _that_."

"Let's get to it, shall we?" Doctor Evans regained her composure and scanned through the list of questions she had written down to ask him. She had a legal pad attached to a clipboard and her pen tucked neatly in the pocket of her blazer. Not wanting to aggravate the Joker again, she made sure to do the most she could _not_ to resemble Raven Ali in any way. She had her hair tied up in a sleek, neat ponytail, only a little bit of mascara on, and she wore a simple royal blue colored pants suit with a white button-up blouse underneath. She wore nude-colored kitten heels on her feet that were barely visible under the cuffs of her pants, something she was sure Raven – or Jester, whatever the hell her name was – wouldn't be caught dead wearing.

"Ah, the classic avoidance technique." Joker tsk'ed at her and began slowly, calmly pacing his cell. He wondered what would amuse and entertain him more – breaking her over time until she was more obsessed and lovesick than Harley was, or baiting her into his cell again and drowning her in his toilet.

Doctor Evans flipped through his file, refusing to acknowledge him as he taunted her. "Why don't we start with something recent... why did you kill Carmine Falcone?"

"It amused me," Joker said plainly, not missing a step as he continued to pace. "Next."

"Okay," she struggled to find a better question, chewing on her bottom lip as her mind raced. She kept coming back to the same question over and over, dying to ask it but also afraid of hearing what he'd say – if he didn't lie, of course. She pushed it aside again, trying to think of a different question she could ask that would elicit a genuine response from him. She had come home last night after work and had stayed up late drinking an entire bottle of wine and trying to psyche herself up for her appointment with Joker this morning, convincing herself that she had written down thought-provoking questions that would draw his attention, but so far she just felt like an idiot with egg on her face.

"You should get rid of that list and ask me what you _really _want to." Joker stopped pacing and looked at her, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Doctor Evans carefully set her clipboard and his file on the floor, along with her pen. She straightened back up and finally met his gaze, trying not to flinch under his scrutiny. She recalled all the times she or other people hadn't taken him seriously – laughing when they'd see him on the news and finding it ridiculous that people were afraid of a gangster with green hair. She wasn't even too concerned about being assigned to him and ultimately being used as bait, just as he had said, to try and get inside his head – she figured all the hype just stemmed from rumors and stories that had been embellished and exaggerated over the years. Standing in front of him, however, was entirely different – she was terrified of him, bulletproof glass be damned.

There was something about the way he carried himself, the way he spoke, and the way he looked at her that made her skin crawl and her heart speed up simultaneously. She was as disgusted by him as she was terrified and intrigued. Being this close to him made her realize how attractive he was under the paper white skin, metal teeth, green hair and tattoos. His facial structure was nearly perfect, strong but slightly feminine with high cheekbones and smooth, perfect skin that she bet was just as soft as it looked. His pale blue eyes were beautiful – piercing and magnetic. She found herself looking into them more often than not despite the constant threat of death she saw in them. His lips were fuller than most men's – not terribly thin and not overly plump, and she wondered for a moment if it was because of the lipstick he wore or if it was natural. She flushed as she took in his defined chest, arms, and abs again, marveling at all the hard, tight muscles underneath his skin. Catching herself slipping again, she reminded herself that the man standing in front of her was a dangerous psychopath that murdered thousands of people in less than a lifespan – most of them on a whim or for his amusement.

"You didn't kill me yesterday."

Joker rolled his eyes. "That's not a question."

"Tell me why," Doctor Evans insisted, keeping her eyes locked on his.

"Think about it, Doc. What fun would it be for me to get tossed in the hole on my first day? I like to uh... build-up to the _climax_." He waggled his eyebrows at her and chuckled when he saw a blush creeping across her cheeks. "I'd tell ya to ask my girl yourself but... well, she's not here."

Doctor Evans decided to avoid the subject of Raven Ali – if Joker's reaction to the subject of his other half yesterday was anything to go by, she knew he'd find a creative way to kill her for bringing the woman up again. "Right..." She took a deep breath and calmed herself, reminding herself that if she blew this, she'd have no shot at a job at Arkham and she'd likely be fired from Blackgate as well. Taking a chance, she straightened her spine and squared her shoulders and gave him her best no-nonsense look. "Asking you questions is getting us nowhere. You made it clear that your file isn't a very reliable source of information, you enjoy tormenting and murdering your doctors, and I know you're just going to play with me until you're bored. So," she fought back a shudder as a grin broke out across his face and a slow, deliberate, humorless laugh escaped him. "What _are _you willing to discuss?"

Joker raised an eyebrow at her and sat on the edge of his cot, mulling her question over for a moment. "Putting me in charge of the session, Doc? Risky," he mused, shooting her a wink. "Let's discuss your uh... _intentions_ with me. After what happened with Harley, I can't imagine they'd assign me another female Doctor unless there was a very, very good reason. Care to share?"

"There's no ulterior motive, Joker. I'm a licensed psychiatrist and I was willing to take your case, that's all."

"Another lie," Joker pinned her with his gaze, his eyes becoming darker as he stared at her. "I don't like liars, Doc. You don't want to make me angry, do you?"

She felt her blood run cold and swallowed hard, doing her best to stand up straight and not let her legs tremble. She wished she had a chair – it would be much easier to control her limbs if she were sitting down. "No, I do not," she admitted.

"Let me guess," Joker's eyes were back to their usual icy blue color and his expression relaxed. "You're a young, ambitious graduate hoping to climb your way up from the bottom of the totem pole so you'll be taken seriously in the field." He grinned when he saw her jaw clench slightly – a nervous tick. "Your superiors took one look at you and thought you'd be able to seduce me – your degree and all the time you put in studying and getting top marks in your classes weren't even acknowledged. You're just a tool to them – a pretty little thing to dangle in front of sex-starved inmates." He chuckled and shook his head at her, giving her a disappointed look.

"That's inappropriate," Doctor Evans grit out.

Joker grinned at her, watching as she flexed her fingers slightly as she fought the urge to ball her hands into fists. Her bitter, harsh tone was a dead giveaway that he was hitting the nail on the head and it amused him. He pushed harder, excited to see how long it would take before she ran away again. "You work with a lot of men, Doc. I'm sure something as simple as getting coffee in the break room makes you incredibly nervous. Walking into the break room is like walking into the wolves den, isn't it? They whisper about you, don't they? They look at you like you're prey and it makes your skin crawl. That outfit you wore yesterday was probably a hit!"

"That's none of your business," she said coldly, picking her clipboard back up off the ground and skimming through her questionnaire to avoid his penetrating gaze. Joker wasn't about to let it go. He continued, not phased in the least that she was attempting to ignore him.

"Isn't it, Doc? You were sent down here by those men – men that would take from you what I wasn't interested in. How many times a day do you cry in your office, or the bathroom? How many nasty, filthy comments have been hurled at you by your male coworkers and superiors? It's not like there's an HR department you can complain to, after all. You're so afraid of them you don't say a word, you just keep your head down and scurry around this place like a timid little mouse."

She looked up, meeting his gaze and glaring at him. "What do you mean, _'take from me'?"_

"You know exactly what I mean, Elise," Joker grinned at her shocked expression, cocking his head to the side as he regarded her.

"How do you -"

"Shh," he cut her off with a wave of his hand, rolling his eyes. "I know everything about everyone, Doc. Now," he leaned forward and gripped the edge of his cot in his hands. "You didn't choose my case, nor did you offer yourself for it. It was thrown at you. They're testing you – they want to force you out. They know what I do to Doctors, what I'm capable of. They know how dangerous I am. You took it in stride though, didn't you? Here you are, doing your best not to resemble Jester since you royally pissed me off yesterday, and you even climbed into my cell. You wouldn't be trying so hard – even putting your life at risk – if there wasn't some sort of reward. You're gunning for a position at Arkham, aren't you? After all, if you crack _me, _you'll have the pick of the litter at Arkham and prove yourself a suitable candidate for Director, right?"

Doctor Evans didn't know what to say. She nodded dumbly, relaxing her hands at her sides. "I worked hard to get here."

"I'm sure you did," Joker assured her. "Since I'm in such uh... _good_ _spirits_ today, how about we make a deal?"

"That's not going to happen, Joker. You can't be trusted."

"That's a shame," Joker stood up from his cot and began slowly pacing around again, his hands folded together behind his back. "I have so many connections... so much _influence." _

"I'm not making any deals with you. It's not worth it. I'd rather be fired than owe you a debt."

Joker stopped pacing and turned to face her, giving her a slight nod. "You're right. It's definitely not worth it. I mean, there are so many other graduates out there more than willing to move to Gotham to work at Arkham once it has been rebuilt. You could use the time off to uh... _study_."

"That's not going to work, Joker. You're not going to manipulate me."

"Oh, I'm not trying to manipulate you. I'm simply offering you everything you've worked for on a silver platter. I'd only ask for a teeny, tiny favor in return."

"Fine," Doctor Evans crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "Let's say, _hypothetically_, I agree to this deal... what would I have to do?"

Joker grinned, coming closer to her and leaning down to look her in the eye. "Kill a guard," he purred, watching her closely for her reaction. Just as he expected, she recoiled, looking as though she'd been slapped.

"You're insane," she hissed, looking down the hall towards the guard station.

"Am I?" He countered, raising an eyebrow at her. "If the idea is so _appalling _to you, why look down the hall at the guard station? For a split second you considered it, I know you did. I can see it in your eyes. You're sick of the rude remarks, the ass grabbing, the groping, the wolf whistles and catcalls. You're tired of them teasing you and not taking you seriously. You're tired of the Warden laughing about it and giving you the _'boys will be boys'_ bullshit excuse. You've thought about it long before I brought it up. The only thing stopping you is your moral compass and the fear of getting caught."

"Why do you care?" She gave him a curious look in spite of herself, leaning a little closer to the glass. "Why would you help me?"

"I know you've avoided bringing her up because of my reaction yesterday, and I appreciate that," Joker winked at her, backing away a few inches from the glass. "Let's just say my other half wouldn't appreciate the rampant sexual harassment and assault in this place and I don't appreciate the idea that it would happen to her if she were locked up in here. You'd simply be helping me clean the place up a little. I know you already have someone in mind... why don't you tell me his name? I can... _arrange_ something."

"No way," she argued, backing away from the glass. "Things are never simple with you. There's always a catch. Even then, what you're asking of me is impossible. I won't do it."

"It's not impossible, darling – I mean, look at _me_! I've killed thousands!" Joker laughed, sending chills down her spine. "You just don't have what it takes. You don't have the drive. If you _really_ wanted a position in Arkham and the pay raise it guarantees, you'd do anything to get it." He stopped laughing and shot her a dark look. "_Anything_."

"This session is over," Doctor Evans snapped, turning to leave.

"Think about it, Doc. I'll give ya a week."

Joker flopped back down on his bed and grinned to himself as he pulled his phone out of his mattress, typing up a text to Jester.

_'Missing your sexy little ass. You better be behaving for Daddy.' _

He sent the message and set the phone down beside him, patiently waiting for a reply. He was pleased to see that Doctor Evans showed some potential to be corrupted by him. He knew she would think obsessively about the offer he made her – there wasn't any way she wouldn't. She was one of the only attractive female Doctors in the building, that much he knew for certain, and Frankie had told him all about the way the other men treated her during her shifts.

If he could corrupt her, get her to do his bidding in exchange for a career at Arkham, he'd be one step closer to controlling Arkham. He knew Doctor Mills was still safely tucked away at the Funhouse, his sanity slowly rotting away, and was planning on getting him back into Arkham as the Director once it was up and running again. With Doctor Mills in his pocket, he'd have control over what Doctors were brought into Arkham and escaping in the future would be ridiculously easy. Doctor Evans was just a bonus – if he could break her and get her under his thumb, it would just be that much easier to achieve his dream of a completely corrupted Arkham. After all, why waste so much effort breaking out when you can just be _let_ _out_ instead?

He giggled to himself, amused at his antics, and startled when his phone buzzed with a reply from Jester. He opened the message and grinned as he read it, trying to fight off the emptiness he felt being so far away from her and unable to do anything about it just yet.

_'Miss you more, handsome. Of course, I'm behaving – within reason, of course. ;)'_

Johnny and Tommy needed time to work over the other guys and to get everything set up with their outside contacts. It would be a couple more weeks before they could make their move, meaning he'd be away from his family for a while longer. The thought aggravated him greatly and he snarled, remembering the fight in the little underground casino and the way they were descended upon by the GCPD. He pictured Robin in his head and laughed, imagining how devastated Batman would be if something were to happen to his little sidekick.

"What a shame it would be if you were separated from your boy like I've been from mine," Joker murmured, his eyes darkening.

* * *

Tommy chuckled as the guards roughly shoved him into the metal chair in the interrogation room. They had dragged him out of his cell and through the prison, not saying a word or explaining what was going on. He blinked at them innocently as he slowly and purposely dragged his shackled hands over the metal table in front of him, making as much noise as possible. The guards scowled at him but didn't say a word – Commissioner Gordon had just entered the room and looked as gruff and cranky as ever. He stared Tommy down as he sat across from him, lighting up a cigarette and sipping at his coffee. Tommy simply smirked at him, tilting his head to the side and studying the man closely.

"Smoke?" Commissioner Gordon held out his pack of Marlboro's and Tommy pulled one, giving him a small nod in thanks. Gordon lit the cigarette for him and waited for him to take the first few drags before starting his interrogation. "Thomas Ralph Soldati," Commissioner Gordon read Tommy's full name off the file in front of him and Tommy simply raised an eyebrow. Johnny had warned him that Gordon would do this – separate him from 'the pack' to try and break him down so he could force a confession or flip Tommy. He was ready. "I see you like to go by 'Tommy', or 'Razor'. Where did Razor come from?"

"Where do any nicknames come from?" Tommy was cool and collected, taking a deep drag of his smoke and never taking his eyes off of Gordon.

Commissioner Gordon shot him an annoyed look and got on with it, clearly aggravated about putting up with yet another one of Joker's henchmen. "What's the Joker got on you? Looks here like you were a model family guy before this. Rough childhood, decent grades, popular in school... college for 6 years, personal trainer and strength and training coach for two different big-league baseball teams, owned a painting business..."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the refresher, man. Joker's got nothin' on me. I guess I just decided on a different career path – do you know how tedious it is painting houses for yuppies? More aggravation than it's worth, I'm telling ya."

Commissioner Gordon raised an eyebrow at him. "'Yuppies'? Funny, you fall into that category. Your family is full of 'em."

"That's them. Not me."

"A valid point. Raven Ali is your cousin, right?"

Tommy simply nodded.

"So you joined Joker's gang to do what? Protect your cousin? Keep an eye on her?"

Tommy barked a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "_'Gang'_? That's a riot." He banged his fist on the table as he laughed, not bothering to try and compose himself when he noticed his laughter was grating on Commissioner Gordon. "Come on, Commissioner. You know as well as I do it isn't a gang – that's a ridiculous classification. Even more hilarious is you insinuating that my cousin needs any kind of protection."

"You turned your back on your family for a murderer! She's a psychopath, Tommy, just like the Joker. She'll turn on you just like she turned on everyone else." Gordon's rage finally began to seep through and Tommy grinned, proud of himself for getting the veteran cop there so fast.

"_She_ turned on everyone?" Tommy's laughter had stopped, his amusement completely wiped off of his face and replaced with a dark, condemning look. "You seem to know about _my _childhood... I bet you know about hers, too. Tell me," The corners of Tommy's lips slowly pulled up in a smug grin, "how does a 5'2", 108-pound woman get thrown into Arkham for _life _for killing her 6'2", 190-pound _armed ex-boyfriend_ in self-defense? There's a history of domestic violence calls at that residence – I _know_ you have those records – yet she was charged with first-degree murder and tossed into Arkham to rot – with no trial." Tommy's grin widened as Commissioner Gordon pursed his lips, leering at him from across the table. Tommy didn't give him a single second to interrupt, plowing on. "You see, Jimmy – I can call you 'Jimmy', right? Jester doesn't need anyone's protection – after all, she slaughtered a man twice her size that had the power and the tools to blow her brains out. She's no stranger to being backed into a corner and having to fight for her life."

"She stabbed him 66 times _postmortem!_" Commissioner Gordon snapped, leaning forward to try and intimidate Tommy. Tommy simply took another deep drag of his smoke, his grin never faltering.

"Wouldn't you? The asshole had smacked her around for two years, tried to blow her brains out three times, painted her as a villain _long_ before she turned into one and shred every bit of credibility she might've had so that nobody believed her until he began to beat her in public. Tell me, Jim – where were _you _when Damian was using her like a fucking human punching bag?" Tommy chuckled, putting his cigarette out in the ashtray in front of him. He looked Commissioner Gordon right in the eye, leaning forward to get as close as possible. "You, the whole GCPD, that dipshit Batman and his little buddies – none of you helped her. You're supposed to be the heroes, right? _Where were you_?"

"So that gives her the right to murder hundreds of men?" Commissioner Gordon folded his arms over his chest, looking down his nose at Tommy.

Tommy scoffed. "What gives your pet rodent the right to play vigilante and break about a dozen laws on a daily basis?"

"We're getting off track," Commissioner Gordon relented, flipping through Tommy's file.

"Another way of saying I'm right," Tommy goaded, winking at him. "Are we done yet? I've got things to do."

"You will sit here until I say we're done," Commissioner Gordon barked.

Tommy cracked his neck and sighed, adopting a bored expression.

"We know that Raven, Joker, Deadshot and Harley Quinn are the ones that kidnapped Mike. We also know you were there and you went with them when they left. So tell me, Tommy... who mutilated him?"

Tommy had been waiting for this exact question, grinning like the Cheshire Cat when the Commissioner shot him a knowing look. "Fifth."

Commissioner Gordon's eyes bulged. "What?"

"I _said_ 'fifth', meaning I'm invoking the Fifth Amendment. You're familiar, aren't you?" Tommy laughed loudly, the furious expression on Gordon's face incredibly amusing and pleasing. "Of course, I _am _sitting in Blackgate on several charges – including a R.I.C.O – without ever having my rights read to me, being formally charged, being provided an attorney _and_ being denied a trial on top of it all. I'm sure you know my attorneys – you know who my uncle was, you know the kind of power he had. You should worry less about who I hang around with and more about the lawsuit I'm going to slap you, the city, and the Batman – whoever the fuck he is under that _ridiculous_ rubber suit – with. Again... **FIFTH**. I won't say another word until my attorneys are present – that is if you have the balls to call them and tell them where you put me."

"Are you threatening me?" Commissioner Gordon shot up out of his seat, slamming his hands down on the table and looming threateningly over Tommy.

"Now, now, Commissioner," Tommy warned, giving him a hard look. "As a veteran cop, you should know better than to try and provoke or intimidate someone during an interrogation, especially after they invoke the Fifth. That's illegal, you know. It's called 'Coercion.'"

Commissioner Gordon snapped, lunging forward and grabbing Tommy by the collar of his jumpsuit, yanking him out of his seat and closer to him. Tommy simply smiled at him. "You tell me where the rest of them are! I know you know the whereabouts of your cousin, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and Scarecrow," his eyes blazed with rage, "And I know you bastards took Doctor Leland and Doctor Mills!"

"Co-er-cion," Tommy said it slowly, breaking down the syllables as if speaking to a stupid person. "You better hope my attorneys don't get a hold of this interrogation tape, Commissioner – unless, of course, you aren't even taping it. Do you think I don't know about all your illegal interrogation tactics? The beatings you've delivered? The beatings you've had your rabid pet deliver?" Tommy tsk'ed at him in scolding, still not making a single move to extricate himself from the crazed Commissioner's grip.

"You will never see the light of day again," Commissioner Gordon threatened, tossing Tommy back into his chair. His ire grew when Tommy simply chuckled, pulling his arms up and lacing his fingers together behind his head, leaning back arrogantly in his chair. "You will never leave Blackgate."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, man." Tommy winked at the Commissioner, not even flinching when the man threw his coffee at him in his rage before angrily storming out of the room. "Let's go! It's almost time for my phone call."

"You don't get phone privileges," one of the guards snarled, ripping Tommy out of his chair by his shackles.

Tommy shrugged. "If you say so."

* * *

"How'd ya do, kid?" Johnny clapped Tommy on the back as he entered the cell block, walking with his head held high and a swagger in his step.

Tommy grinned wickedly at him, sitting down on a bench across the table from Johnny. "Got the old son of a bitch all kinds of riled up," Tommy laughed, recalling the way Commissioner Gordon unraveled.

"That's what I like to hear," Johnny praised. "I got word that Luis recorded it. J likes to watch the tapes, it's an easy way to weed out the rats." Johnny gave Tommy a skeptical look and Tommy waved him off.

"I got nothin' to worry about, I'm not an idiot."

"Being related to Jester, I don't doubt it. What did Gordon want?"

"Jimmy boy wanted me to hand Jester, Scarecrow, Ivy, Selina and Harley over. Accused me of knowing where Doctor Leland and Doctor Mills are. Also wanted me to tell him who carved Mike up."

"Knowing him, he thought he was gonna knock it out of the park with you." Johnny chuckled and lit himself up a smoke, taking a moment to scan the yard. "You're brand new, you come from a good family, you led a pretty normal life before all this – he thought he could flip you."

"You should've seen his face when I invoked the Fifth and threw the 'C' word on the table." Tommy laughed, laying back on the bench and resting his hands on his stomach.

"The 'C' word?"

"Coercion," Tommy singsonged, peeking over at Johnny.

Johnny shook with laughter, drawing some attention from other prisoners in the yard. "That old bastard hates being called out!"

"Oh, for sure," Tommy agreed, nodding. "I wish you could've seen the way he tried to avoid the subject when I called him, the GCPD, and the Bat out for never helping Jester when Damian was beating her. He was so quick to condemn her – calling her a murderer, a psychopath, saying she turned on everyone – but changed the subject as soon as I brought up the recorded history of domestic violence calls to that house for 2 years and the fact that none of them did shit to help her"

"Now you know what J means when he says that they're the _real _villains in Gotham. Sure, we do some fucked up shit, but so do they. They think because they wear their fuckin' badges or their fancy little superhero costumes that they're better than us."

Tommy sighed. "I used to think J was the devil," he looked around for a moment, making sure their crew was in his sight and none of their enemies were too close, "I'd see him on the news or hear bombs and gunshots going off and curse his existence. I thought he was pure evil – a manic out to watch the world burn along with everyone in it. But... he's not. He's a genius. It took me getting to know him all these months and watching him to realize that everything he does is for a reason. He doesn't just randomly cause chaos for his own amusement – not always, at least." Tommy and Johnny chuckled at that, knowing full well the Joker sometimes did shit just for a laugh whether it was killing someone, robbing a bank, blowing up the mall, or throwing a Molotov into the window of a cop car.

"It's the green hair, the pale skin, the metal teeth, and the tattoos," Johnny supplied. "You see all of that on the surface and all you can think is, 'this guy is fuckin' ape shit'. Nobody will ever see past that – they look at him and see a deranged, homicidal clown incapable of rational thinking."

"That's the funniest part," Tommy mused. "The guy that _looks_ like a deranged, homicidal lunatic incapable of rational or coherent thoughts is the only guy that sees the big fucking picture. The one _everyone_ regards as having a mentality the likes of a caveman is the one that's smarter than us all."

"I'll never forget the night I had to kidnap ya and take you to Smiles," Johnny laughed out loud as the memory of him dragging Tommy out of bed by his legs came to mind. "You were fuckin' terrified."

"It's not every day you're woken up by a guy with a gun wearing sunglasses in the fucking dark," Tommy smirked at Johnny. "Coming face to face with J for the first time was fucking surreal."

"He's scary as shit," Johnny supplied, shrugging where he sat. "You were bold as fuck the next time you saw him, though."

"Yeah," Tommy recalled the way he had glared at Joker as he told Jester the clown owed him an apology – _after_ demanding they take him back to their hideout with them. "I guess at that point I realized my cousin was possibly even more insane than he is. When she showed up to Smiles armed with a crowbar and that cold look on her face, followed by Deadshot with those wrist guns, I knew some shit was about to go down and she wasn't the least bit afraid. That's when I realized she was different – the girl I knew all her life was fuckin' _gone._ She had turned into this savage, confident woman with a spine made of steel and not a shred of fear."

"I didn't know her before, but from what J told me about their time in Arkham together, that place fucked her up. She got colder, harder, and darker in there. Her mind took a beating. Being in a cell next to J didn't help, either. He knows just how to grab the darkness inside of people and yank it to the surface."

"She's better for it," Tommy said it with confidence, knowing for a fact he was right. "She has come very, very far."

"And that's why she holds his leash," Johnny muttered, careful not to let anyone overhear them. "She is the only one that can go toe-to-toe with him and win – she's the only one fearless enough to look death itself right in the eye and not even flinch. She's fought him when he's gone completely dark and she lived, she even fucked him up pretty good. She's a force to be reckoned with. The Batman himself isn't that fearless with J – J has a way of getting under the dickhead's skin, making him flinch or recoil. Jester doesn't back down."

"She's smart, though," Tommy countered. "She knows when to back down and she does when it's necessary. She analyzes the situation and reacts accordingly – unless he's pushed her too far, that is. She has submitted a few times – she knows when to push back and when to back off."

"Very true. Not all battles need to be won, after all."

Tommy just nodded, counting down the minutes until they'd all be herded inside like animals and put back in their filthy cells.


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Thank you, thank you, thank you for the awesome reviews! I love you guys :) Keep 'em coming, they always make my day. _

* * *

Three days had passed and Doctor Evans hadn't come back even once to see Joker. According to Frankie Boles, she had been calling out every day since her second session with Joker. Joker was annoyed, pacing in his cell like a caged animal, plotting a way to lure the Doctor back to Blackgate. He scowled at the thought that he had possibly misread the timid woman – she had seemed so ambitious, so driven, yet she disappeared as soon as he made her an offer he thought she wouldn't be able to refuse. He was counting on her taking the offer. This screwed his plans up significantly.

"You've got a visitor," Frankie muttered, shackles at the ready as he unlocked Joker's cell.

Joker's pacing ceased immediately. He swiveled around to look at Frankie, raising a cool eyebrow at him. "_Do_ tell, Frankie."

"Can't say," Frankie avoided the Joker's gaze as he slowly made his way into his cell and held the shackles out. "You know the rules."

Joker chuckled, staying perfectly still as Frankie put on his shackles and escorted him from his cell and down the corridor. His mere presence set off some of the more deranged and rowdy prisoners, most of them screaming and shouting and cackling as he passed by. He simply smirked, keeping his eyes on the uneasy looking guards at the guard post.

"**Alert: Death Row prisoner in transport. Shoot to kill permissions granted." **

Joker cackled at the automated announcement, walking with a swagger in his step. "I must be somethin' special, huh Frankie?"

"Boles! Why is this inmate being transported without the cart?" The gruff, old guard with the goatee from Joker's intake barked at Frankie, giving him a scathing look as he blocked off the gate to the elevator.

"The inmate has been exhibiting signs of subdued behavior, a cart is not necessary." Frankie shot the man a glare and boldly pushed him out of the way while Joker shot the man a wide grin.

"I'm a model prisoner, didn't ya know?" Joker winked at the disgruntled man as Frankie walked him through the gate and into the elevator, selecting the top floor where the visiting and processing areas were.

"Spill, Frankie. My patience is growing thin." Joker turned to face Frankie and cocked his head to the side, expecting an answer.

Frankie simply glanced at the camera above them and back at Joker.

"I see," Joker grinned, knowing this visitor had to be someone who wouldn't normally be allowed in the prison or caught dead walking into it. If Frankie wouldn't talk with cameras on them, the visitor in question must be pretty interesting.

They reached the top floor and Frankie made a show of roughly yanking Joker by his upper arm, a dark look on his face as he made his way through the many corridors leading to the visitor areas. There was a special visitation room for Death Row patients – a small, concrete room with two little booths and two chairs. The room was split in half by bulletproof glass and there were telephones on each side of the little booths, giving the prisoners and visitors a way to speak through the wall that separated them.

Joker noticed Frankie had turned off the cameras and audio in the room just before escorting him into it. Joker craned his neck, trying to get a glimpse of this special visitor that warranted such secrecy. He laughed gleefully when he finally reached his chair and sat down, staring across the glass at Jester. She was wearing a red wig that looked surprisingly real, hazel colored contacts, light makeup and she had either gotten a spray tan or spent the time to darken her ghostly pale skin with body paint. She was dressed in a nice white turtleneck cashmere sweater that draped to her knees and a pair of black leggings underneath with nice black booties to complete her look. The disguise was incredibly clever and convincing, and if he hadn't memorized her facial structure and features for over a year, he might've been fooled. However, the chemistry between them didn't lie – this was definitely his Jester.

He grinned from ear to ear at her and picked up his phone, locking eyes with her as he purred. "Hello, baby."

Jester winked at him and shot him a winning smile, putting one finger up signaling for him to wait as she reached down. He couldn't believe his eyes when she pulled Ace into her lap from his carrier and picked up his little hand to wave at Joker. Ace also looked different. She had put a winter hat over his head that hid his purple hair and eyebrows and it looked as though she had used a bronzing foundation on his face to hide his pale skin. He was wearing one of his clown onesies that covered his entire body, even his little neck. He even had little mittens on his hands, though Joker was sure it was more because of the cold weather than to aid in his disguise.

Jester kept one arm firmly wrapped around Ace who was wiggling and smiling excitedly in her lap and used her free hand to pick up her phone. "Hiya, handsome," she cooed. "How ya doin'?"

"Oh, _much_ better now," he winked at her and looked down at Ace who was kicking and wriggling harder in Jester's lap at the sight of his father. "Can he hear me?"

Jester chuckled and put the phone to Ace's ear, holding it securely while Ace continued to squirm.

"Ace," Joker's voice came through the phone and Ace instantly stilled, furrowing his eyebrows and swiveling his head around as he tried to figure out where his dad's voice was coming from. He looked at Joker through the glass and Joker smiled at him, pointing to his phone. Jester giggled, putting Ace up on the top of the table and held him still. Her bottom lip quivered when Ace reached his little hand out and pressed it to the glass, staring at his father like he was a deity. "That's my boy," Joker cooed into the phone, putting his hand on the other side of the glass. "I miss you too, little man. You be good to your Mama for me while I'm gone. Daddy will be home soon, I promise." Ace giggled at that, squirming from side to side as he sat on the table as if he was dancing with excitement. Joker relished in the sound of his son's laughter for a little longer until Jester put the phone back up to her ear. Ace still hadn't taken his hand off the glass, so Joker kept his own there as well.

"Are you alright?" Joker's eyes pierced right through her as they always did and she sighed, nodding a little.

"As alright as I can be. I miss you terribly. I miss all of you. Are you okay? Is Tommy okay? God, I'm worried about him, J. He's never been to prison before – is he alright in here?"

"Slow down, baby. Breathe." He looked concerned, his eyes narrowing at her and his eyebrows furrowing.

Jester felt the anxiety crawling up her spine and slowly creeping into her chest, making it harder to breathe. Her eyes became wet with unshed tears, her bottom lip quivered and she ducked her head to try and hide it all from Joker.

"Look at me, Jester," he cooed, patiently waiting for her to lift her head. When she did, tears were streaming down her cheeks and she looked pained. It caused a pain in his chest – one he hadn't felt in a while – and he hated it. He hated being on the other side of this glass, unable to hold her, kiss her, or simply still her shaking hands with his own. "It's gonna be fine, baby. Everything is fine. I'm fine, Tommy's fine, Johnny and Floyd are fine. We're all doing our parts here to get out. It's gonna take a while but we will come back home – all of us – in one piece. I promise, baby."

"Well, that's actually what I came here to talk about," Jester sniffled, pulling a tissue from her pocket and dabbing at her eyes and runny nose. "Bane told me about your plan, and it's good, but I've got a better one."

Joker leaned back in his chair and raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh?"

"Just hear me out, J." Jester shot him a pleading look and he sighed, motioning with his hand for her to get on with it. "First and foremost, Doctor Davis will be home with both babies and the dogs. They'll be perfectly safe there."

Joker shot forward in his seat, his nose almost touching the glass as he glared at her. "You mean _you'll_ be home with Doctor Davis, the babies, and the dogs, _right?_"

Jester scoffed, glaring at him through the glass. "No J, I'm coming here to break your ass out with everyone else. You forget you're not the only person I love stuck in here, and with the four of you here, we are four men down for the job."

"I don't want you here, Jester," he hissed. "This is not like Arkham. This is different. Different security measures, different staff, different _prisoners_..."

"As if I give a fuck. You also seem to be forgetting that Catwoman has been locked up here a few times. We've got it all covered, believe me. We know what we're doing. We have some extra help, too, though I'm sure you won't be thrilled about it."

"Who?" His eyes were darkening and he spoke in a low, gravelly growl.

Jester sighed, moving to pull Ace back into her lap but he started crying and screaming, desperately pounding his chubby little hands against the glass. "Fuck, okay! Okay, Ace! You can stay right there." She dropped the phone in her lap and raked a hand through her wig, biting back more tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She wasn't sleeping, she wasn't eating much, she was stressed out, anxious, paranoid, lonely, and she was certainly at her wits end. Ace throwing a fit about being separated from the glass was enough to catapult her off the deep end at this point. "Please, just stop crying Ace. _Please_."

Joker dropped his phone and to Jester's surprise, he walked out of the room. She wasn't sure if it was something she had said or done, or if it was Ace's tantrum, but he looked furious when he stalked out of the room and she wasn't sure if he was coming back. After a few minutes that seemed more like an eternity, she pulled a screaming, crying, kicking Ace away from the glass and was just about to put him in his carrier when the door behind her opened. She startled, her eyes darting towards the doorway and only releasing the breath she'd been holding in when she saw Joker standing there, slowly making his way over to her.

"Forget about the breakout for now," he whispered, pulling her and Ace both into his arms. He kissed both of them on their foreheads and rested his head on top of Jester's just as she let the dam break. She clutched at his jumpsuit with her free hand and sobbed, shaking like a leaf in his arms as he held her and Ace close to him. "I can't," she choked. "I just _can't!_"

"What can't you do?" Joker carefully moved her back to the chair and sat her down, taking Ace from her and cradling the quiet, happy baby in his arms. He crouched down in front of her and looked up into her wet, red-rimmed eyes. "Talk to me, baby. I don't have much longer."

"I hate this," Jester croaked. "I hate all of this. I need you at home. I need you with me."

"I know," he murmured, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "I know, baby. I'm workin' on it. You look so tired. Are you not sleeping at night?"

Jester shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip to try and stop herself from crying any more. "I can't sleep without you. I can't function anymore. I'm so fucking lonely and depressed."

"What about the dogs? What about Bane, Harley, Selina, Ivy, and Craney?"

"The dogs sleep in the nursery in front of the crib at night to guard Ace and Reina. They don't sleep with me anymore. As for the others, well... yeah, it's nice to have them around, but I need _you_."

Joker chuckled, wrapping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her in for a soft, sweet kiss. "_This_ coming from the woman who evaded me for months and shot at me from a rooftop. You're twice as lonely and upset because you're tired, baby," he glanced down and gave her a questioning look before reaching his hand up her sweater and lifting it, exposing her thinner form, "apparently you're not eating either."

"I'm just so stressed and anxious, and I'm paranoid all the time. The lack of sleep isn't helping, and I keep forgetting to eat 'cause I'm too busy taking care of the babies, the dogs, the house, the club..."

"Fuck the club. I don't give a fuck about the club. Leave that to Bane and his guys. Let everyone help you with everything else, baby. Stop trying to do everything yourself." He looked her right in the eye and stroked her cheek with his fingertips. "Ask. For. Help."

"I'm sorry," Jester murmured, avoiding his eyes in her embarrassment.

"For...?"

"Being a fucking crybaby."

Joker laughed, kissing her once more. "You're handling this better than anyone else would, princess. I'm proud of ya. Now, listen to Daddy..." He tilted her chin up with his fingers and kissed her forehead. "I've got a couple tricks up my sleeve to get you what you need at home, okay?" He smiled when she nodded and finally met his gaze. "Tell me what you've got planned... and _who _you made these plans with."

Jester explained the entire plan she and the others had come up with, starting with the bridge and ending with them all at home and Jim Gordon disposed of, along with some other members of the Bat-Family if everything went the way they hoped.

"Riddler and Two-Face, huh?" Joker sighed, rolling his neck to crack it. "You sure they won't turn on ya, princess? Two-Face is sporadic at best and Riddler is... well, Riddler."

"Riddler only asked for a friendship bracelet in return," at Joker's raised eyebrow she barked a laugh. "He wants me to make him a friendship bracelet since we were assholes to him at Arkham and refused to let him into our friendship circle. Can't make this shit up."

Joker joined her in her laughter this time and even Ace giggled, clutching his father's jumpsuit tightly in his little fists. "And your insurance with Two-Face?"

"That crazy fuck would do anything for a chance to try and blow up the Batman," she gave a half-shrug, smirking at him. "Even if he bails, we've still got Copperhead, Bane's men, Mad Hatter, and Double-Tap."

"I'll admit it's a good plan," Joker complimented her, grinning up at her. "I've got faith in ya. I won't make you stay at home waitin' for me, it wouldn't be fair. I know Bane, Straw Man, Harley, Ivy and Selina won't let anything happen to ya. With those other idiots running amok in here, the risk of you guys getting caught is pretty slim. That was smart of ya, Songbird."

"So you _won't_ be trying to seduce your stupid Raven lookalike Doctor?" Her eyes darkened a little and Joker pinched her cheek.

"No, baby. I promised you no more Harley's and I meant it. I had a plan all set to corrupt her but the Doc has called out the past 3 days. Looks like I scared her right outta this field in only two sessions."

"Good. I don't want her anywhere near you." Jester's eyes were blazing and Joker giggled, leaning forward to kiss her again.

"Who's the jealous one now?" He teased, nipping at her bottom lip.

"Shut up," she grumbled, smiling in spite of herself.

"Listen, baby. Gordon interrogated Tommy the other day – Luis has the tape. Call him up and ask him for it. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'm sure you'd like to see it. Frankie told me that Johnny said Tommy did good, even ruffled the old man's feathers." They both shared mischievous looks at that. "I don't want you at the club anymore unless you're there to let loose and have fun. Don't worry about trying to watch over things and conducting business on my behalf – I'll handle it all myself when I'm back. In the meantime, Bane and his men can keep tabs on it."

"I just didn't want anyone talking shit or trying to make a move against you again," Jester murmured, giving him a half shrug.

Joker laughed at that, shifting Ace in his arms so he was cradled against the left side of his chest with his little head tucked into the crook of Joker's neck. "Princess, don't you ever worry about that. Did ya forget who I am?"

She smiled and shook her head, wrapping an arm around his free shoulder. "I love you. I miss you so much."

"I know. I love and miss ya too. Both of you." He kissed Ace's head and took a moment to breathe in his baby scent and revel in the feel of his son's little breath's against his bare neck. "I'll be home real soon."

"You keep my cousin safe, you hear me? Nothing better happen to Tommy here. I swear to God, I will go on a fucking rampage like never before." Jester's expression hardened and Joker grinned, happy to see some spark in her for the first time during their visit.

"He's fine, Jester. He's been introduced to our guys in here and his place has been established. Johnny's got eyes on him at all times and nobody makes a move in this fuckin' place without me knowing about it. You're worrying for no reason." He tapped her on the nose and was happy to see a small smile stretch across her mouth. "Now, I want you to go home and eat a good, healthy lunch. After that, take a nice long bath, a nap, and do whatever you want. You wanna go to the club? Go, but go to dance and have fun. Don't sit in VIP watching everyone like a hawk. Make sure you eat a good dinner, and later tonight I'll call ya after lights out. I'll call ya every single night so maybe we can help each other sleep. You forget I can't sleep without _you_ either."

Jester pressed her forehead against his and took a few deep breaths to soothe herself and force her anxiety down. "Alright," she agreed. "You promise you'll call me?"

"Songbird," Joker used his free hand to lift her chin and met her eyes once more. "I promise you. The two of you are more important to me than anything else. I'll be calling you every single night. Now, get outta here before they break up our precious little reunion and throw me in the hole. I don't know how the hell you got past the guards at the bridge and inside here, but I don't want you stayin' too long and getting caught, alright?"

"A little spray of Ivy's perfume goes a long way, apparently," Jester whispered conspiratorially, winking at him.

"I knew you broads would be up to no good while we're in here," Joker mused. "Just don't get caught, alright? Give Reina a kiss for me – don't look at me like that, you know I love the kid even though I won't admit it to anybody – and tell everyone else I said hello. Oh," his eyes lit up and Jester cocked her head at him. "Tell the kitty cat I said to give you your gift early. I think it's just what you need to turn that frown upside down."

"My gift?"

"You'll find out as soon as you get home, princess. Now go. I already see Frankie's grouchy ass storming over here to bark orders at me. I, uh, might've bullied him into letting me in here."

Jester grinned at him, letting him help her up out of her chair. He set Ace down in his carrier and tucked him in tight with his blanket before buckling him in securely. Ace was asleep and had been for a little while, soothed by his father's warmth and heartbeat. Joker watched him for a moment and bent down to press a kiss to his head before slipping his hat back on, careful to slip it low enough to hide his plum eyebrows.

"Whenever you guys are ready, just have Frankie let me know a day in advance so I can get everything ready on my end, alright?" Joker pulled Jester into his arms and dropped a kiss to her temple, rubbing light circles on her lower back with his thumbs.

Jester nodded, pressing her head against his chest and wrapping her arms tight around his waist, careful not to get her arms tangled up in his shackles. "Here," she murmured, reaching down to pull some things from her purse. She handed them to him and he grinned, kissing her fiercely once he realized what she had given him. She eagerly returned it, threading her fingers through his hair and getting her fill of him while she still could.

Frankie came into the room and loudly cleared his throat, nodding at Joker.

"That's my cue," Joker sighed, pressing one more kiss to Jester's lips. "Do as I said. Eat, rest, and enjoy your gift. I'll call ya later." He was almost to the door when he stopped in his tracks and looked back over his shoulder at her. "And baby? Thank you." His gaze flicked from her to Ace and back and she smiled at him.

"Anytime," she whispered, blowing him a kiss. "Enjoy those," she pointed at the photos and book in his hands and he grinned.

"Oh, I will," he assured her, shooting her a wink right before he slipped out the door and began the long trek back to Death Row.

Jester sighed, collecting her purse and slinging it over her shoulder before picking up Ace's carrier, smiling at how well and securely Joker had tucked him in and buckled him up. "Let's go home," she whispered, quietly making her way out of the room and through the corridors until she saw an EXIT sign. Taking a chance, she slipped through the door at the end of the corridor, breathing a sigh of relief when no alarms were set off. She calmly walked through the guard post by the main entrance, pulling her visitor's badge from her pocket and dropping it in the basket, not paying the guards any mind as she kept up a steady pace and fought the urge to run like hell for her car.

She climbed into the Ford Explorer she'd stolen to come here with after buckling Ace into the backseat and peeked at the way back of the car through the rearview mirror. "I hope I didn't take too long," she breathed, trying to will her heart to stop slamming in her chest.

Scarecrow's head popped up in the bench seat in the way back and he chuckled, rubbing at his eyes. "I have no idea how long you were in there. As uncomfortable as this 'third seat' is, I fell asleep. How did it go?"

"I can't tell if this is adrenaline, a panic attack, or a heart attack, but it went well. He was happy to see us." Jester took a few minutes to try and catch her breath and closed her eyes, resting her forehead against the steering wheel.

"Do you need me to drive?" Scarecrow's eyebrows were furrowed in concern and she shook her head.

"No, Craney. We'll get caught if we do that, anyway. I just need a few minutes... my paranoia and anxiety are fucking raging. I felt like all the guards were looking right through this damn disguise, waiting for the right moment to jump me and shackle my ass."

Scarecrow chuckled. "To the untrained eye, you look like another crazed fan that spent a little too much time in a tanning bed. No one would recognize you like this."

She shot him a wicked grin in the rearview mirror, her eyes lit up with mischief. "He pegged me immediately."

"Of course he did, you're the love of his life. He's no fool."

Jester chuckled, nodding her agreement. She turned on the radio to the classic rock station and finally put the SUV in drive, steering her way towards the guard post at the bridge. She flashed a winning smile at the young guard inside the booth and he simply nodded at her, pressing the button to drop the bridge. She waited for the drawbridge to finally flatten and stop moving before slowly making her way across, barely paying any mind to the guards at the second post that didn't bother looking up from their newspapers as she passed by.

Scarecrow's phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, opening the text message from the unknown sender that had popped up. He knew who it was immediately – after all, no one else would send him such a message.

_'Time for you to step in, Nate Archibald. Remember what I told you.' _

Scarecrow swallowed hard, knowing exactly what Joker meant. He was telling him, loud and clear, to step in and take his place in Jester's life until he was out. Jester must've been worse off than he originally thought – she was excellent at masking and hiding her real emotions and suffering. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath before sending a response, reeling from the request.

_'As you wish. It's worse than we thought, isn't it?'_

The response was almost immediate.

_'On a scale of 1-10, she's at a 13. Make sure she eats when she gets home and takes a nap. I want her eating 3 meals a day and I want her napping when she's tired. No watching over the club, no business meetings or deals, no hard work, no more doing everything herself.' _

Scarecrow glanced at Jester up in the front seat, happily singing along to the songs on the radio and completely oblivious to him in the way back. He sent another reply to Joker, knowing it would be the end of the conversation... for now.

_'We'll take good care of her, you have my word.'_

* * *

Frankie made a show of shoving Joker into his cell rather roughly, well aware of the other guards' eyes watching his every move. They weren't the first group of guards to be suspicious of him and they certainly wouldn't be the last. However, their skepticism and dirty looks were nothing compared to Joker's wrath, so he ignored them.

"Arms out, clown!" Frankie barked, making sure his gruff voice bounced off the stone walls and right down to the guard post.

Joker was smirking at him, being a model prisoner and letting Frankie remove his shackles without incident. "I need ya to set up a meeting for me and all my boys," Joker said coolly.

"I'll see what I can do." As soon as Frankie turned to leave Joker's cell, Joker threw an arm around his throat and choked him slightly, pulling him back so he could speak without anyone hearing him.

"Tonight, Frankie. Make it happen."

Frankie simply nodded, not daring to cast a look over his shoulder at Joker.

"Atta boy," Joker grinned menacingly at him and dismissed him with a flick of his wrist.

Once Frankie's footsteps had traveled out of earshot, Joker pulled the book Jester had given him from the waistband of his pants and the photos out of his pockets. He took a good look at the photos, smiling to himself as he sat on his cot. Two of them were photos he had given her during their time at Arkham, the group photo and the one of just the two of them together at Smiles. The third was a picture of him, Jester, and Ace in the kitchen, all three of them grinning madly. He traced his finger over Jester and Ace's smiles for a moment before tucking the photos inside his pillowcase and flipping his pillow over. The book she had given him made him chuckle. It was large, thick, and quite heavy.

"_Edgar Allen Poe: Complete Tales and Poems_," he read aloud, admiring the beautiful cover. It was black with a large black raven's head over the title, framed in gold with beautiful patterns inside and outside of the frame.

He opened the book and chuckled at the sight of several post-it notes marking different pages, no doubt strategically placed by Jester. He thought about his promise to call her every night after lights out and grinned, the idea of reading the book to her over the phone lifting his spirits a little. He knew she adored E.A.P and he did, too. He recalled one of his many discussions with Jester during their first lockup in Arkham being about E.A.P, the mystery surrounding his death, his darkness, his demons, and his brilliant mind.

Curious, he flipped to the first page she had marked. He was amused to see she had marked the page the poem "_The Raven_" was on and leaned back against the wall, getting comfortable as he began reading.

He was thrilled that she had found a way to come see him and even more so that she had given him this book to occupy him along with photos of them to make his days a little brighter. He felt a small pang of guilt as he read, realizing he couldn't do the same for her. The first time she was locked up in Arkham, he was already there and she hadn't known him yet. The second time, he willingly surrendered the following day to be there with her and look after her. Now he was in Blackgate along with her cousin and her best friend and there was nothing either one of them could do about it for a while. He sighed, setting the book down for a moment and digging his phone out of his mattress. He'd be damned if he couldn't make her smile, even from this tiny, dark cell.

He sent her a text message, one that he hoped would put a big grin on her face.

_'"But our love it was stronger by far than the love_

_Of those who were older than we - _

_Of many far wiser than we - _

_And neither the angels in Heaven above_

_Nor the demons down under the sea_

_Can ever dissever my soul from the soul_

_Of the beautiful *Raven (Jester) Ali*"_

_Don't kill me for callin' ya by your old name, princess. xoxo'_

He smirked at his cleverness, replacing 'Annabel Lee' with 'Raven (Jester) Ali' and still maintaining the rhyme perfectly. He picked the book back up and flipped to the next page she had bookmarked and laughed – it was the poem "Annabel Lee".

"Great minds..." he muttered, getting lost in the book once more.

* * *

"You!" Jester squinted at Catwoman and pointed an accusing finger at her as she made her way into the kitchen. "You have a gift for me?"

"So J wants you to have it now, then?" Catwoman winked at her and sauntered out of the kitchen, making her way to her bedroom to fish out the bodysuit she had made for Jester and finally finished a couple of weeks ago.

Jester sat down at the kitchen island while she waited, smiling when a text from J lit up the screen on her phone. She read it, blushing at the way he had changed 'Annabel Lee' to her name at the end of the snippet and grinned from ear to ear. She sent a quick response, swinging her legs childishly in the stool she was sitting in.

_'You get a free pass this time, Mister J. Glad you're enjoying the book. Read it to me later?' _

"_Mortifera! _How did your visit go? From that big smile on your face, I assume it was good?" Bane's boisterous laughter snapped her out of her musings and she hugged him tight when he leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"It went well... once I stopped blubbering like a fucking baby." She scowled at the memory of crying like a wuss in the visitation room, still feeling a little embarrassed for letting her emotions and sleep deprivation get the best of her.

"Why did you cry?" Bane frowned at her, carefully perching himself on one of the sturdier chairs at the kitchen table. "Did you fight?"

"No, it wasn't anything like that. Well, kind of. I had told J that I would be taking part in breaking him out and he got mad. I went to pull Ace away from the glass he started screaming, crying, and slamming his little fists on the glass and I just lost it, you know? Everything just got to me." She sighed, running her hands through her hair and massaging her scalp with her fingertips, groaning at how nice it felt.

"Oh, that poor baby," Harley chimed in, waltzing into the kitchen. "Ace misses his daddy just as much as you do, huh?"

"Apparently," Jester muttered. "He has never acted like that, not once. He was cool as a cucumber once J came into the room and held him."

"J came into your side of the room?" Catwoman was back with a large gift bag in her hand, her grin faltering at the conversation she had just walked in on.

"I guess when Ace freaked out and I started crying, he forced Boles to let him in on my side. He had just stormed out of the room, I was so confused. I thought he was mad at me. I started putting Ace back in his carrier and all of a sudden J was in the room with me. Ace calmed down immediately once J held him. I don't know what I'm gonna do these next few weeks until we can get them out – eventually Ace is gonna start crying and screaming for his Daddy, right? I mean, it makes sense... right?"

"I don't know a damn thing about babies," Harley supplied, giving Jester an apologetic look.

"We will distract him and make sure he stays happy," Bane said confidently. "He has Reina to play with, too."

"True," Jester agreed, nodding absently. She scanned the room and caught the bag Catwoman had in her hand and a big, wide smile broke out across her face. "Is that my gift?"

"It is," Catwoman's grin was back as she set the bag on the table in front of Jester, sitting next to her. "Go ahead and open it."

Jester did. She grabbed the bag and tore the tissue paper out quickly and gasped when the light caught the shimmering, shiny purple snakeskin garment in the bag. She pulled it out and leaned back in her chair, letting the garment unravel. "Oh, holy shit," she breathed, raking her eyes over the purple snakeskin bodysuit.

"That's not all," Catwoman pointed at the bag and Jester raised an eyebrow at her before turning her attention back to the bag. Sure enough, Catwoman was right. Jester pulled out a pair of matching gloves and a pair of matching knee-high combat boots.

Jester's jaw went slack and her eyes widened. She had no words, nothing to express how amazed she was at the beautiful gifts. She marveled at the feel of the fabric and the craftsmanship of everything, hardly believing any of it was for her.

"Oh no, you don't like them," Catwoman mistook Jester's silence for an awkward rejection and Jester's hand shot out, lightly gripping her forearm.

Jester grinned at Catwoman and gently placed everything back in the bag before throwing her arms around her friend. "You made all of this?"

"I did," Catwoman laughed, hugging Jester back. "It took me forever and J pestered me a lot, but I got it done. I'm also making you a pair of knee-high pointed heels for it but they're gonna take a little longer. You like it all?"

"Like it? I _love_ it! All of it! It's all so perfect..." Jester released Catwoman and picked the bodysuit back up, pressing it close to her chest and sighing. "It's gorgeous, Selina. Thank you so much."

"It's all made with Kevlar, even the gloves. Every bit of skin covered by that suit, the gloves, and the boots will be pretty bulletproof and fire-resistant. You'll be pretty damn safe in all of it. Just watch your chest and arms."

At Jester's puzzled look, Catwoman laughed. "Go try it on and you'll see what I mean."

Jester didn't need to be told twice, she grabbed the gloves and boots and sprinted for the closest bathroom, quickly stripping down to her underwear and slipping into the bodysuit. There was a zipper in the front that went down to her navel which she appreciated – it made it so easy to slip into the suit. The zipper was concealed extremely well, barely showing at all, and it allowed for her to show some cleavage if she wanted to – just like Catwoman always did in her suit. After all, all her life she had been taught _'if you got it, flaunt it'_. She loved that the scoop neck and the lack of sleeves, giving her more freedom to move around and certainly making her more comfortable. She hated long sleeves and tight sleeves of any kind – they always made her feel restricted and it drove her nuts.

She took her time loosening the laces on her combat boots and slipped her legs into them, tightening the laces enough to keep them snug but not too tight. Lastly, she put on the gloves and was happy to see they ended where her hands did, not touching her wrists at all. Catwoman must've figured out that because of how squeamish she was with veins, she didn't like any kind of pressure on her inner wrists.

She stalked back into the kitchen as if she were walking the runway, not noticing that Harley was recording her on her phone – she would send the video to J so he could see the way she looked for himself. "Well? How do I look?"

Bane wolf-whistled at her and Catwoman meowed loudly, making her laugh.

"You look amazin'!" Harley chirped, sending the video and setting her phone down to take a good look at Jester in her new bodysuit.

"It's purrrrrrrfect," Catwoman crooned, raking her eyes down Jester's entire form. "It's gonna be a bit tight at first until you break it in."

"What's say we break it in, then? I'm definitely wearing this for the breakout." Jester shot Harley and Catwoman a devilish grin that both women returned.

"Oh boy," Bane groaned, dropping his head in his hand. "You're going to start some trouble, aren't you?"

"Oh, absolutely," Jester said plainly, smirking at Bane. "It wouldn't be any fun just sparring here to break it in. And house parkour," she glanced at Harley and shot her a wink, "has gotten boring for us. We're going out. I gotta test this baby out, don't I?"

"Joker will kill me if he finds out about this," Scarecrow drawled, coming into the kitchen with Jester's tactical belt, shoulder holster, ankle holster, and all three of her guns. "Don't get caught and don't get noticed. He wants me to..." Scarecrow searched for the right word, "_take his place_ until he's back, so to speak."

Jester kissed Scarecrow on the cheek as she took all her things from him. "Thanks, Craney," she chirped, happily slipping everything on and making sure it was all secure.

"Now I gotta get one of those babies," Harley gave a low whistle once Jester was done, taking in the way the bodysuit looked with Jester's arsenal packed onto it. "That's a good look for ya."

Catwoman nodded her agreement, smirking. "You look like Lara Croft, but more badass."

Jester chuckled, tucking her phone into its usual slot on her tactical belt. "Where should we go?" She asked no one in particular, furrowing her brows together in concentration.

"We could go hunt Riddler down and see if he's making any progress with that badge," Catwoman suggested.

"I second that, since I don't trust that narcissist, but first..." Scarecrow gave Jester a stern look from across the kitchen island. "Have you eaten?"

"Damn you and damn J," she growled, plopping back down into a chair at the kitchen island. "I'm not hungry!"

"You're not hungry because you are too distracted, tired, and stressed for your body to realize you need nourishment. How about a turkey sandwich and a salad?" Scarecrow raised an eyebrow at her, watching as she squirmed in her chair.

"Fine," she conceded. "But only because it sounds good, not because you and J want me to!"

"Right," Scarecrow rolled his eyes and set to work making her lunch while Catwoman, Jester, and Harley pouted about their little adventure being delayed.

"I will help you find the leprechaun when you're done," Bane offered, chuckling at Jester's childlike pouting.

"Force-feeding and babysitting? Why don't you guys just start working at fucking Guantanamo Bay?" Jester dropped her head into her hands, mad that she had to wait to hit the streets of Gotham City in her new suit.

Scarecrow glanced at her over his shoulder and shook his head. "So dramatic," he sighed. "Yet another reason you should eat – you're bitchy when you're hangry."

Harley burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth when Jester glared at her.

"Damn, Crane! That was cold," Catwoman hid her smirk behind a clawed hand, weary of Jester and her wrath.

"J told me to step in and take his place, I'm just doing what he would," Scarecrow kept his back to Jester to hide his amused smile, knowing she'd probably whack him upside the head something fierce if she caught a glimpse of it.

"Suddenly I don't miss him as much," Jester said coolly, examining her nails.

* * *

Tommy and Johnny were in the Jungle, Johnny standing watch while Tommy did his usual weight workout. It seemed quieter than usual today which made Johnny a little apprehensive. Everyone seemed to be minding their own business, sticking to their cliques, and leaving a lot of space around the weight area and the outskirts of the Jungle. Johnny didn't like it. He smelled trouble and lots of it.

"Hey," Johnny subtly nudged Tommy, not taking his eyes off the group of guys slowly approaching them, one of them carrying what looked like a shank. "Get up."

Tommy clocked what was happening just as quickly as Johnny did and stood up to his full height, kind of glad he had taken his shirt off so these assholes could see he wasn't just a 'pretty boy'. His muscles were bulging, sweat poured off him and his adrenaline and testosterone were up. "Let me guess, they're gonna pop my 'jumped in the Jungle' cherry?"

"More than that," Johnny muttered, stepping forward to meet the guy that looked like he was in charge. "What can I do for ya, Machete?"

"This has nothing to do with you, Frosty," the bald, heavily tattooed man answered, peering over Johnny's shoulder at Tommy. "We're here for him."

"If you're here for him, it has everything to do with me and everything to do with Mister J. This one is untouchable. I spread the word myself, I know you were made aware." Johnny folded his arms and looked down his nose at the tall, muscular man.

Machete ignored Johnny and moved around him, standing about two feet away from Tommy. "Is it true you are the _Mortifera's_ cousin?"

Tommy nodded, sizing the man up. He knew he was gang-affiliated, he just couldn't peg which one. He didn't see any tattoos consistent with MS-13's or LK, so he crossed those off his list, but that still left plenty of options. "That's me," Tommy said matter-of-factly, refusing to back down.

"She killed my cousin," Machete sized Tommy up, knowing better than to underestimate the 'pretty boy' that ran things with Johnny Frost. Everyone knew you didn't get to Johnny's level without some kind of blood sacrifice, initiation, and connections. It was extremely rare and near impossible for anyone to gain the kind of trust and respect from the Clown that Johnny held.

"An eye for an eye, then?" Tommy drawled, seeming bored. Johnny smirked, eyeing the guys behind Machete.

"Yeah, homie, that's what it's gotta be. You understand – it ain't personal, it's just business." Machete gave a half shrug, glancing around at the snipers that looked a little too twitchy and the other inmates, gangs and non-affiliates alike, that seemed to be tensing up and preparing for a riot.

Johnny laughed, drawing Machete's attention and ire.

"Something funny to you, Frosty?"

"You say it's not personal but it is. There was no business involved – well unless Jester got paid for the job, but she has been known to refuse payments now and then." Johnny raised an eyebrow at Machete, amused at the way the man scowled. "If she _was_ paid to take your cousin out, street rules say you gotta take it up with whoever hired her. You make a single move on this kid and I'm telling you, Machete, Mister J will be the least of your worries. The wrath that will be brought down upon you and all your little – what do you call yourselves again? My Spanish is pretty rusty."

"_Trinitarios_, you dumb fuck," one of the guys in the background spat, glaring hatefully at Johnny.

"Yeah, that's right, the machete-wielding tikes," Johnny didn't even seem fazed and Tommy snickered at his brazen, belligerent insult. "You will all be bleeding out in the fucking sewers for K.C. To find."

"Yo, Machete!" A guy mixed in with the rest of the inmates in the Jungle whistled over at Machete, snatching his attention away from Tommy and Johnny. "They roll with Bane," the guy called over. "Copperhead has deemed _Mortifera_ and her people off-limits."

Machete sighed, rolling his eyes and turning back to Johnny and Tommy. "Is that true?"

"I don't know who the fuck Copperhead is, but yeah... Bane's with us and vise versa," Tommy still looked bored, not fazed in the least by the murderous looks several inmates were shooting him at the moment.

"Copperhead is part of the South American gangs, from a city just outside the one Bane is from," Johnny supplied. "Comes from a long line of Copperheads – they're like deities to these guys," he motioned to Machete and the rest of his gang.

"_La Diosa_," Machete hissed. "Nobody fucks with the Copperheads. They are sacred."

"Interesting," Tommy mused, leaning against the wall. "We done here?"

"You just got very, very lucky white boy. Don't push it," Machete nodded at Johnny and turned around, motioning with his hand for his guys to move away from the scene.

It was far from over, though. The confrontation had the inmates jumpy and excited, and the lack of action had some of the more violent, feral ones bloodthirsty. Before Johnny and Tommy knew it, the entire Jungle was a frenzy, fights breaking out between rival gangs, crews, and random inmates. Blood spattered the concrete walls from shanks, razors, and other weapons being used. Tommy watched as one inmate stabbed another in the throat with a plastic straw and killed him, raising an eyebrow in silent surprise.

"Here," Johnny slipped a shank into Tommy's hand and nodded towards an angry mob of inmates storming their way, headed off only slightly by Hammer and the rest of Joker's loyal guys. "Welcome to your first prison riot. Time to show 'em why J calls you 'Razor.'"

Tommy sighed, shaking his head. "Fuck me," he muttered, tucking the shank safely in his fist and putting his hands up just as a group of frenzied inmates stormed him and Johnny, swinging wildly and slashing at them.

* * *

Joker was being escorted to the showers when the alarms went off and the sirens started up, the automated announcement system screeching **'CODE BLACK' **over and over again. He took a good look down the corridor in front of him, waiting as several guards rushed by him and the two escorting him.

"Riot in the Jungle!" One of the guards panted, skidding to a stop a few feet in front of Joker. "Trinitarios started shit with -" He looked at Joker and stopped talking immediately, bolting away from them as quickly as he had approached.

Joker's mouth stretched into a tight line. He already knew exactly what was going on, and he was happy as shit that he was out of his cell for it. He waited as the guard to his right took off after the one that had just filled them in and faked tripping, clumsily falling to his knees on the ground and pulling his guard down with him.

"Get up, clown! I don't have time for this shit!" The old, gruff man barked. Joker grinned just before bringing his head back and headbutting the guard, effectively breaking his nose. He heard the _snap _as it happened and cackled, jumping to his feet and bringing his arms down in front of the guard, choking him violently with his shackles.

"Keys, please!" He chirped, cackling as the man spluttered and turned bright red.

The guard didn't fight, knowing better at that point, and unhooked his keys from his belt. Joker snatched them and quickly relieved himself of his shackles, punching the guard as hard as he could right in the head as soon as he was free. The guard was knocked out cold, blood gushing from his broken nose, and Joker stripped him of his taser, gun, and magnum flashlight. He snatched his key card off of his uniform and cocked his head to the side, debating whether to kill the guard or not. He figured he'd be thrown in the hole for this anyway, so he shot him right between the eyes, laughing gleefully as he tore through the corridors and down the stairs to Death Row. He wasted no time shooting the two guards standing around in the corridor with Frankie, scaring Frankie senseless. He ignored Frankie, quickly picking up the dead guards' guns and raced down the corridor until he reached Deadshot's cell, paying no mind to Frankie's yelling and the ruckus of the inmates behind him.

"We got a problem," Joker hissed, quickly unlocking both padlocks, all three locks on the door and finally swiping the guard's key card.

"Riot?" Deadshot didn't seem too fazed, taking one of the rifles from Joker and eyeing it before deciding it was up to his standards enough to use.

"They went after Tommy," Joker's voice was a snarl and Deadshot's head snapped up.

"Fuck," Deadshot spat before taking off at a dead run down the corridor.

Joker looked at Frankie who had finally caught up and was glaring at him, expecting an explanation. "They're gonna throw me in the hole – make sure my phone, photos, and book are stashed in there for me. Be a good boy and use this time to replace all this _evidence_ with dummy footage. Oh, and Frankie – do _not _tell Jester about this."

He didn't wait for a response before he took off after Deadshot, catching up with him quickly. They raced through the prison, mowing down every single guard that got in their way until they reached the Jungle. They burst into the concrete room and swiveled their heads around like owls, trying to find Tommy and Johnny amid all the carnage.

"Why aren't the snipers shooting?" Deadshot looked bewildered as he stared up at the guard towers, noticing the wicked grins on the snipers' faces and money being passed between some of them.

"The Warden likes blood sports," Joker said plainly. "Fuckin' guy is a stickler for a good shank show."

"DOWN!" Deadshot bellowed, watching as a bullet whizzed right towards Joker's head. He shoved him out of the way just in time – if he had been even a second later, the bullet would've gone right through Joker's right eye and out the back of his head. "Oh, they got me fucked up," he hissed, dragging Joker behind a wall with him and quickly taking out the sniper that had aimed for Joker, scaring the shit out of the one stationed next to him. "YEAH, MOTHERFUCKER! DEADSHOT'S IN THIS BITCH. COME GET SOME!"

Joker shot Deadshot an annoyed look and rolled his eyes. "_I'm _supposed to be the center of attention," he grumbled, taking out another sniper with his rifle. He knew Deadshot had one hell of a reputation for never missing a shot, but not many people knew that Joker was an expert marksman himself. He only ever missed when he wanted to.

Joker finally spotted Tommy and Johnny, both of them bathed in blood but holding their own against a bunch of what he assumed were members of the Aryan Brotherhood. "Ah, those guys are a fuckin' pain in the ass," Joker growled. "Cover me," he waited for Deadshot to give him a nod of acknowledgment before casually strolling out into the Jungle, guns in both hands as he spread his arms wide.

Some of the inmates stopped at the sight of him but the others continued, not noticing him yet. He sighed and rolled his neck, cracking it before letting several shots off into the air. "Gentlemen! A moment of your time!"

"Shit," he heard a man hiss somewhere behind him and he let his signature laugh ring out, reveling in the way it bounced off the concrete walls and ceased all activity in the Jungle.

"Now that I have your attention," he snarled, scanning the Jungle and catching Tommy's and Johnny's eyes. He motioned for them to come to him and they did. Tommy spared a glance at the guard towers and was surprised to see all of the snipers dead, some dangling from the towers and dripping blood all over the ground they stood on. Before his initiation with Joker, he probably would've grimaced and thrown up from such a grotesque sight, but it barely affected him now. Hell, he was covered in blood that wasn't his and had just savagely disemboweled an Aryan that tried to stab him in the throat with a pen.

They reached Joker as soon as Deadshot, Hammer, and the other guys did and several gasps rang out in the crowd. Deadshot smirked, slinging his gun carelessly over his shoulder and preening a little as he heard the inmates chattering about him and his affiliation with Joker.

"A little birdie told me the Trinitarios started this," Joker continued, scanning the crowd once more for members of the gang. He caught Machete trying to slink his way out of the Jungle through the doors and stuck his fingers in his mouth, whistling loudly. He motioned to a group of guys by the doors and grinned. "Grab him."

They did. They snatched Machete up by his arms and dragged him to the Joker, kicking and fighting the whole way. They dumped him in front of Joker and backed off quickly, wanting nothing to do with whatever bloodshed was about to occur. Sure, they had all just participated in a vicious prison riot, but Joker's style was a little too fucked up for even the hardest of them to stomach. Joker was a sick son of a bitch with a twisted imagination and they all knew he had no shortage of _creative _ideas when it came to making an example of someone.

"Machete!" Joker singsonged, nudging the man with his foot to urge him to stand up. "Long time, no see, _ese. _I heard you guys were fucking with my boys, is that true?"

Machete got to his feet quickly, paling at the wide grin on Joker's face. He knew the Joker well enough to know that grin was not one of amusement – no, that grin might as well have been a huge, blinking sign that said_ 'CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'RE GONNA DIE TODAY'_.

"I was not aware of your affiliation with Bane and _La_ _Diosa_," he explained, doing his best to maintain eye contact even though the threat of death in Joker's darkening gaze made his skin crawl and his blood run cold.

"But you _were_ aware that Tommy is mine and has been labeled as untouchable." Joker raised an eyebrow at Machete, daring him to lie or make an excuse.

"_Mortifera _killed my cousin, J. You know how it is – I had to even the score."

Joker chuckled, shaking his head and scratching the back of his neck with the muzzle of the gun he held. He looked around at Johnny, Tommy, Deadshot, Hammer, and the rest of his guys and they all burst out laughing when he did, cackling like madmen and making some men in attendance shudder. "Did ya hear that, Tommy? Jester killed his cousin, so he was gonna kill _you_!"

Tommy nodded. "Oh, I heard it. He told me it was just business, though. No harm, no foul, right?" Tommy shot Joker a wicked look, playing the game, and Joker winked at him.

"Well, let's get the facts before we go deciding whether this was business or personal," Joker began slowly circling Machete, a predatory, feral look in his dark eyes. He moved slowly, stalking him like a lion. "Now, how do you know it was my Jester that killed your cousin? I'd advise you not to lie to me – I don't like liars, do I, Tommy?"

"Nah, J," Tommy answered, grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat as Machete went rigid.

"It was the word on the street. His girl had been runnin' her mouth sayin' he was beating her up and shit, so everyone knew it was _Mortifera_."

Joker nodded, stopping to stand behind Machete. He ran his tongue over his teeth and sighed in annoyance, staring up at the sky. "So, in other words, you have no proof."

Machete turned to face Joker, staring him right in the eye. "We all know your bitch kills anybody accused of anything against a woman with or _without_ proof."

Johnny gave a low whistle and Tommy hissed at that, knowing Joker was a ticking time bomb at this point.

"You just fucked up," Deadshot observed out loud, smirking and shaking his head. "You are dumb as hell."

"It's alright, Deadshot," Joker said calmly, grinning at Deadshot. "Machete's got some things on his mind. Go ahead, Machete, tell me how you really feel about my uh... _bitch_."

"Everybody knows she's just some _blanquita _runnin' around killin' dudes because she feels big. She doesn't have any proof, she just takes what all these dumb hoes tell her at face value and runs around like she's untouchable. My cousin never did nothing to that fucking bitch Mercedes, but your bitch went and killed him anyway just because Mercedes ran her mouth."

"Oh, I see," Joker said coolly, adopting a thoughtful expression. "Anything else to add to that?"

"Yeah, I got somethin' to add," Machete had no idea yet that he had already signed his death warrant the second he referred to her as a bitch. "Fuck you and that _pinche puta." _

"Uh, can somebody translate that last bit for me?" Joker looked around, both eyebrows raised, expecting a response. No one was willing to translate the words, let alone say them out loud about Joker's other half.

"They ain't gonna say it," Deadshot chuckled. "That's smart."

Tommy fought back the urge to lunge at Machete and beat the living shit out of him, nearly burning holes in the man with the nasty look he was fixing him with. Without taking his eyes off of Machete, he spoke up. "I got it, J. It means_ 'fucking whore.'_"

Joker was deceptively calm, even giggling at Tommy's translation. "Thanks, T." He began circling Machete again; his calm, cool demeanor throwing everyone off and making the tension in the Jungle escalate. "Now, since I'm in a good mood today, I'll let _you_ decide what to do with him."

Tommy clapped his hands together in glee, giving Joker a wicked look. "I'd be honored, J," he growled.

"Here, kid," Johnny shot Tommy a wink as he handed him a different shank. Tommy noticed that it was clean and realized why Johnny was giving it to him – a clean blade to show just how much blood he was about to spill. His already bloodied shank wouldn't make as much of a statement. "Remember what I said – show 'em why J calls you 'Razor.'"

Joker cackled, clapping Tommy on the shoulder. "Make me proud, _Razor_."

Joker moved off to the side, flanked by Johnny, Deadshot, and the rest of his crew. The crowd surrounding them backed off a little, giving Tommy space and waiting to see what he would do.

Tommy knew this was a pivotal moment for him – this is how he'd earn his stripes on the streets and in Blackgate and how he'd show everyone he's much more than just a pretty boy in Joker's crew. He grinned at Machete and tossed him his bloody shank, making it a fair fight.

There were a few murmurs in the crowd when he did that, some saying it was a stupid move and others respecting him for giving Machete a chance to salvage his dignity as he faced what was promising to be a painful death.

"You want street justice, right? Here's your chance. You claim my cousin killed yours, that she had no proof, so I'll let you take the first shot at me – make it count, Machete. I was trained by the best." Tommy nodded at Johnny and Deadshot in recognition and they both smirked at him, pride shining in both their eyes.

Machete, as Tommy expected, slashed at him as he was distracted and missed. Tommy knew he'd pull something underhanded and dirty like that and danced out of his reach at the last second, laughing to taunt the man. It worked, Machete lunged at him again, wildly slashing at Tommy's midsection, but Tommy avoided it once more. They continued like this for a while, Machete wildly lunging and slashing at Tommy and Tommy laughing at him as he avoided every strike, not making a single move to retaliate.

Joker watched intently, recognizing Tommy's strategy. He was tiring Machete out, waiting to make his move until Machete lost his stamina. This also gave Tommy time to study Machete's movements and figure out his pattern while revealing none of his own. Joker was proud of him – he was involved in a huge prison riot, at Blackgate of all prisons, and had survived. He had some bruises and shallow cuts marring him, but he was otherwise pristine for someone who had just gotten caught up in his first prison riot. He was stuck in it for a while, Joker knew that much. He wasn't sure how much time it took him between finding out about the riot and getting there after letting Deadshot loose, but he imagined that at least 20 full minutes had passed before he arrived. 20 minutes wasn't very long, but when it came to prison riots at Blackgate with the worst of the worst, it was an eternity.

Machete stumbled, almost losing his grip on his shank and Tommy struck like a viper. He made one swift, smooth swipe with his left arm and caught Machete in the chest, spilling first blood. Joker smirked, his eyes glittering with malice as he continued to watch, amused at the dead silence that settled over the Jungle as everyone watched the fresh meat prove himself in the ring with an OG from a well known and highly feared gang. "Atta boy," he murmured, not moving a muscle.

"Come on, Machete! You got him, you got him!" One of the Trinitarios, a young one from what Joker could tell, began cheering his OG on and Joker rolled his eyes.

"Shut up," Joker snapped, catching the kid's eye. "This isn't one of your fucking street fights, kid."

Tommy didn't let any of it distract him, not taking his eyes off of Machete for a second. He waited for Machete to swipe at him again, already clocking the fake when he saw Machete's other hand twitch and ducked the punch Machete threw at him right after. "Nice try," Tommy goaded, shooting Machete a smirk and a wink.

Just as he was expecting, Machete lashed out and swung on him again and Tommy ducked, coming up and slicing Machete's face as he came back up. He had carved half his face just like he did to Mike – from the corner of his mouth to his ear. "Aw shit, that looks terrible," Tommy mocked, laughing at the horrified look on Machete's face. "Let me make that even for you."

He pulled Machete's own dirty trick on him, swinging on him with his right and using the distraction from the successful fake to slash Machete's other cheek wide open. "That's better," Tommy crooned, flicking the blood off of his shank. "Whaddya say, Machete? You wanna lay down and bleed to death peacefully, or do you want me to put you out of your misery now?"

Johnny's chuckle set off the rest of Joker's crew and soon everyone was laughing – Joker, Deadshot, Hammer, and everyone else in attendance except for the Trinitarios.

"Let's fucking finish this," Machete's voice was garbled from the blood pouring out of his mouth and the disfigurement of his face and Tommy raised a cool eyebrow at him.

"You asked for it," he said nonchalantly, moving just in time to avoid a few furious swipes from Machete. He took a deep breath to calm himself and his mind and piece his thoughts together, recalling his knife throwing training with Selina. He hadn't ever done it with a prison shank made from a toothbrush, but he figured it couldn't hurt to try. He waited for Machete to move and leave himself open before slowly exhaling, balancing himself as he chucked the shank.

He gave a low whistle as the shank stuck itself gruesomely in Machete's throat, severing his carotid artery. He reveled in the look of shock and fear on Machete's face as blood spurted almost comically from the wound and he hit the ground, rapidly bleeding out on the concrete floor.

Several Trinitarios tried to intervene, pushing their way through the crowd, but Hammer and the rest of the guys shoved them back.

Joker cleared his throat, looking right at the struggling, yelling, furious Trinitarios and catching their attention. "Let this be a lesson, fellas," he snarled. "This is what happens when you fuck with my guys and say such _rude _things about my Queen. Count your blessings – I'm _allowing _you all to live today." A wide, evil grin spread across his face and he cocked his head at them. "You never know – I could change my mind tomorrow."

Just as he made his way over to Tommy to congratulate him and clap him on the back, rubber bullets started flying everywhere and pinging off their bodies as the Warden finally showed up with a shitload of guards in riot gear.

"Ah fuck," Joker grumbled. "Things were _just _getting good." He motioned for Tommy to get down on the ground, giving him a nod to let him know everything would be alright.

"If the girls find out about any of this, they're gonna storm this fuckin' place like S.W.A.T." Deadshot assumed the position, getting flat on the ground on his belly with his hands folded behind his head.

"Somethin' tells me they already know," Joker mused, watching as the news chopper came zooming over the Jungle with none other than Vicki Vale sticking half her body out and narrating whatever she thought she was seeing.

"Jester's gonna go fuckin' ballistic," Tommy muttered, folding his hands behind his head.

Joker didn't say a word, knowing he'd have to do some serious damage control when he spoke with her later that night. He couldn't – _wouldn't_ – let her fuck up the breakout plan and rush blindly into Blackgate to get them out because of this incident. If she tried to break them out now, without half the preparations in place, she'd end up in her own cell in the womens' side of the prison.

* * *

Jester sat at the bar in the Stacked Deck in between Harley and Catwoman. Catwoman was in her full body suit and Harley was in her Harlequin costume, complete with the mask and jester hat. They were halfway through their second drinks when a familiar voice piped up behind them.

"Shouldn't you be busy at home making a _'friendship bracelet'_?"

Jester rolled her eyes, slowly turning to face Double-Tap. "Shouldn't you be busy doing recon and cleaning your weapons, _snake?_"

Double-Tap laughed, raising an eyebrow at Jester and crossing his arms as he leaned against the bar next to Catwoman, much to her displeasure. "Are you always a royal bitch or is it just me?"

Jester glared at him, pulling a gun from her holster and setting it down on the bar. "What can I say, Tap? You bring it out in me."

"You're a strange one," he mused, smirking at her. "Usually women throw themselves at me, but you look like you'd rather swallow razor blades whole than have a casual conversation with me."

"You've seen my man," Jester said coolly, finishing her drink. "You're nothing in comparison," she looked him over, taking in the red ascot he wore around his neck over his white t-shirt and the black leather jacket he was sporting, "even if you do look almost exactly like Jeffrey Dean Morgan – just without the salt and pepper hair. You're old, but not _that_ old."

Harley looked over and peered at Double-Tap, studying his slicked-back black hair, sideburns, and 5 o'clock shadow, nodding her agreement. "Yeah, Jestah's right. You do look a lot like that guy."

"Who the hell is Jeffrey Dean Morgan?" Double-Tap pulled out his phone and Googled it, chuckling at the image results. "That guy who plays Negan in The Walking Dead? You should've just led with that."

"That's the one," Jester shifted her attention to the bartender and ordered another Jameson and ginger. "So, is there ever any action here? I've been trying to test out my new suit."

Double Tap shamelessly raked his eyes over her form, humming in approval. "Snakeskin, huh? That's sexy. Sorry to burst your bubble, doll face, but most of the _'bad guys' _are either at My Alibi, the Iceberg Lounge or – well, _Giggles_."

"The Iceberg Lounge? I thought it was abandoned since Penguin died. Who the fuck is running the Iceberg Lounge?" Jester's eyebrows knit together in confusion. She knew the club was somewhere in the East End where they currently were, which meant whoever took over had to be a Rogue, assassin or one of the mobs.

"You mean you don't already know?" Double-Tap grinned at Jester, his eyes lit up with amusement at her confusion.

Catwoman hissed in annoyance and rolled her eyes, finishing her drink before she headed for the ladies' room. Harley scampered off after her, leaving Jester all alone with the cocky, vain, late 30-something-year-old hitman.

Double-Tap laughed at the way Jester grimaced when he took Catwoman's seat beside her, ordering himself a whiskey neat. "What did I ever do to you to make you hate me so much?"

"Typical fuckboy question," Jester groaned in annoyance and took a big gulp of her drink, still not paying him any mind. "You helped to set me up, you jackass. Remember?"

He scoffed, looking affronted. "At the behest of your _man_," he argued, using air quotes. "If anything, I kinda helped you two finally get together. You should be thanking me."

Jester gave him an incredulous look, shaking her head in disbelief. "You didn't help shit, I stood him up that night."

"And then the two of you were together less than a week later. I heard about him having your precious cousin kidnapped. Tommy, right?"

"Does anyone in Gotham have anything better to do than to gossip about what Joker and I do in our free time? My God," Jester rolled her eyes and took another swig of her drink, nodding her head a little to the beat of the song thumping in the background.

"You seem a little uptight," Double-Tap swiveled in his seat to face her. "How about a dance?"

"You know J will rip your heart right out for even looking at me the way you did, let alone dancing with me. Stay in your lane, Tappy."

"Jesus, woman! I didn't ask you to take your clothes off and fuck me, I only asked for you to come dance. I won't even touch you." He stood up and held his hand out to her, grinning when she sighed and gulped down the rest of her drink, holstering her gun.

"Fine, but I want you to tell me who's running the Iceberg Lounge first." She drummed her nails on the bar, growing more impatient by the second.

"That's fair," Double-Tap agreed, still holding his hand out to her. "I'm surprised you don't know – and hey, you didn't hear it from me. It was Penguin's, and when he died Black Mask took it over. Don Falcone took it over after J killed Black Mask. Now, since J killed Falcone and all his guys, he _technically_ owns it. Of course, with him being locked up in Blackgate, it's a shitshow right now and Don Maroni will probably try to make a play for it."

"No shit?" Jester mulled the information over, arching an eyebrow at the idea of running the Iceberg Lounge. She wasn't opposed to it – it was in an area far more populated than Giggles and was a real moneymaker. She'd have to look into it, try to gain control of it before Maroni tried to get his grubby hands on it.

"No shit," Double-Tap confirmed, wiggling his fingers on the hand he had extended to her to remind her about their dance.

"I'm serious, Tappy – you better not touch me." She smacked his hand away and made her way to the dance floor, easily slipping through the mass of writhing, gyrating drunken petty criminals. She found a good spot where she had room to move and swayed a little as the song currently playing ended, waiting for the next one to begin.

She recognized the guitar in the intro and grinned from ear to ear, slowly moving to the beat as it built up. This was one of her favorite songs – she loved Santana, she had grown up listening to his music thanks to her father.

"_Got a black magic woman_

_Got a black magic woman_

_I've got a black magic woman_

_Got me so blind, I can't see_

_That she's a black magic woman_

_She's trying to make a devil outta me..."_

She paid no mind to Double-Tap as she danced, letting her hair down and flipping it over her shoulders. She ran her hands through it as she moved, teasingly running her hands down her body as she swayed. Double-Tap was watching her every move, keeping a safe distance as he danced by himself. He saw Catwoman and Harley coming out of the ladies' room and waved them over, ignoring the nasty looks they both shot him when they realized where he and Jester were. They shoved their way through the crowd until they reached Jester and joined her as she danced to the guitar solo, effectively caging her in and keeping prying eyes and groping hands away from her.

"_...Don't turn your back on me, baby_

_Don't turn your back on me, baby_

_Yes, don't turn your back on me, baby _

_Stop messing 'round with your tricks_

_Don't turn your back on me, baby _

_You just might pick up my magic sticks..." _

Despite how bitchy all three women had been towards him, Double-Tap kept an eye on them to make sure nobody got fresh with them. If they did, he'd put them down like rabid animals. He knew Joker would have his head on a pike if he found out anything had happened to Jester on his watch and he certainly wasn't good enough to go up against Deadshot. He was the best assassin for a _reason_. After what he saw on the news a couple of hours ago, he knew that guy Tommy wasn't someone to fuck with either. Someone had taken a video of the entire riot, beginning to end, on their cellphone and sent it in to Vicki Vale and she had played the entire thing on the air. Double-Tap was impressed with Tommy – or Razor, as they called him. He was fearless during the raid, showing he was more than just some pretty boy from a nice family in the suburbs. He earned his stripes and the respect of Gotham's underground, especially with the bold move he made when he threw his opponent a shank to make it a fair fight in the name of street justice.

He hadn't said a word about the riot to Jester, Selina, or Harley. They had been way too calm – bored, even – when he approached them. They didn't know a thing about it, and knowing J the way he did, he knew there was probably a reason for it. He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to set the three vicious women off. He knew they were the type to immediately storm over to Blackgate, brazenly break in and kill everyone in sight until they saw that their guys were alright and got the chance to slaughter everyone in that video that had, at any point, put their hands on them in any way. He figured that was probably precisely why Joker and Frankie Boles hadn't told them anything. If they did that now, they'd be stuck in their own cells at Blackgate by the end of the night. No, they needed to wait until all their preparations and allies were ready if it was going to work, and that was gonna take a couple more weeks, maybe more.

"_...Got your spell on me, baby _

_You got your spell on me, baby _

_Yes, you got your spell on me, baby _

_Turning my heart into stone_

_I need you so bad, magic woman_

_I can't leave you alone."_

Jester's drinks had finally taken effect, making her feel warm and slightly hazy. She didn't feel her phone vibrating in the slot on her tactical belt, not when it rang the first time and not any of the 4 times after that. For the first time since Joker, Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot had been locked up, she was feeling serene. She wasn't stressed, she wasn't anxious, she wasn't sad and she wasn't lonely. More importantly, she wasn't feeling like a ticking time bomb anymore. She got lost in the music and danced her heart out for a couple more hours with Harley, Catwoman, and even Double-Tap since he had kept his word and kept his hands off her. Life was good – _for now_.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

****Important Author's Note at the end****

* * *

Jester woke up the next morning with a violent hangover. She put her hand over her eyes, trying to ward off the blinding sun rays coming in through the windows, and shifted back against the warmth behind her. She froze when felt someone's bare, muscular chest pressed against her back and an arm wrapped tightly around her middle and furrowed her eyebrows. It wasn't a ghostly pale, tattooed arm. No, it was a fair-skinned, thinner arm... Scarecrow's arm, to be exact. Her head snapped to the side and she gasped when she saw Scarecrow sound asleep in Joker's usual spot, his one arm wrapped around her and the other under his pillow. He was shirtless but he had on a pair of flannel pajama pants, which Jester was thankful for. She looked down at herself, relieved to see that she was in her usual sleep shirt and a pair of Joker's boxers. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm her anxiety and keep herself from vomiting thanks to her gnarly hangover. She slowly pried his arm off of her, slipped out of bed and made her way towards the bathroom, feeling like her brain was surfing through waves in her pounding skull. She nearly vomited on the carpet just before the threshold of the bathroom doorway.

"Fuck," she grumbled, finding her phone, keys, wristlet, shoulder holster, ankle holster, tactical belt and all her guns in the bathroom sink. "What the fuck happened?"

She shut the door behind her and turned on the shower, desperate to wash off the awful, gross feeling that always accompanies a night out and one too many drinks. She tried to piece everything together as she stood under the hot water, taking her time with her morning routine. She remembered leaving the house with Selina and Harley and stalking their way through Crime Alley, the East End and eventually going to the Stacked Deck when they didn't find any trouble worth their time. She remembered Double-Tap showing up and their banter remembered dancing with Harley, Selina, and Double-Tap, and she remembered having at least 4 very strong Jameson and gingers. She didn't remember anything after dancing with everyone – she didn't remember leaving, didn't remember how or when they all got home, didn't remember dumping all her stuff into the sink, didn't remember getting into bed and she sure as shit didn't remember falling asleep with Scarecrow.

She gagged a little when she moved too fast to get out of the shower, wrapping her hair up in a towel and wrapping another one around her body. She shoved her bare feet into her slippers and made her way into the bedroom, too distracted with her thoughts to notice Scarecrow was awake and watching her.

"What the fuck did I do?" She muttered, crouching down on her closet floor and picking up her clothes and bodysuit from the night before.

"A better question would be _'what didn't you do?'_" Scarecrow's voice scared the shit out of her.

She fell backward in her shock, suffering a panic attack. She clutched at her chest, hyperventilating, her eyes wild and her mouth ajar. "Jesus _fucking_ Christ," she gasped, desperately trying to catch her breath and willing her heart rate to slow down. "Help," she choked, sticking a hand in the air. Her free hand clutched at her towel, trying to keep it from falling off of her and exposing her.

Scarecrow blushed a little and frowned as he helped her up, careful not to pull her up too quickly or harshly. He helped her balance, wrapping an arm tight around her waist as she continued shaking and gasping for air. "Count to ten, littlest clown. It's alright. Just focus on me and count to ten."

She looked into his eyes and did as he said, slowly counting to ten in her head, her heart rate slowing down and her breathing returning to normal. "Thanks," she muttered, pulling the towel out of her hair and casting it to the floor. "What the hell were you doing in bed with me?"

She turned back towards the closet and carefully hung up her bodysuit and put away the matching boots and gloves before sifting through the rest of her clothes for an outfit to wear.

Scarecrow chuckled and she turned back to look at him, one eyebrow arched and her arms folded. "Well?"

"Darling, you insisted. You came home _quite _inebriated with Harley and Selina and waltzed right into my room. You demanded that I come snuggle with you until you fell asleep because you were sad, lonely, and you couldn't sleep. I argued with you and you got angry, dragging me out of bed and yelling at me about how I'm supposed to do what J does because he told me to. We came up here, you stripped in your closet while I stayed over in the corner and averted my eyes, and then you pulled me into bed with you, made me wrap my arms around you and insisted that I had to spoon you."

Jester's cheeks flushed bright red and Scarecrow smirked at her, taunting her with his amusement. "I'd argue with you, but I don't remember anything and honestly; all of that sounds exactly like some shit I would do."

Scarecrow shrugged. "I assure you, I didn't do anything inappropriate. I hope you aren't concerned about that. I would never cross that line. Well, not _again_." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I just held you until we both fell asleep and that was it. Strictly platonic. However, I must warn you – if you ever do that again, please don't wiggle your ass against me _'to get comfortable'_ for hours." He chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It has certain effects on a man."

Jester laughed, pulling the clothes out that she had selected for the day and slipping past Scarecrow to make her way back into the bathroom to change and get ready for the day. "Sorry about all of that," Jester called over her shoulder, chuckling a little as she pictured the exact scenario Scarecrow had described. "I can be a little... _exuberant_."

Scarecrow laughed, starting to make the bed. "Excellent choice of words."

Jester smirked, keeping the bathroom door open only slightly so she could change in private but maintain their conversation. "Anything else I should know?"

"Joker called and texted you repeatedly last night but you never answered him. I would have answered for you, but you were a mess."

"Shit," Jester hissed, slipping her black v-neck form-fitting long sleeve on. She neatly rolled up the sleeves, showing off her tattooed arms. It was something compulsive she always did – whenever she wore long sleeves, she had to roll them up. She couldn't just leave them as they were, it bothered her for reasons she couldn't understand. She slipped her belt through her dark blue skinny jeans and slipped her knee-high stiletto black leather boots on, grabbing her phone from the sink before plopping down into her vanity chair and starting on her hair and makeup.

Scarecrow politely rapped his knuckles against the door, seeking permission to enter.

"Come on in," Jester called, smoothing anti-frizz serum through her damp plum strands. "I'm gonna need some coffee if I'm gonna be dealing with J's angry ass."

"I'm on it, darling," Scarecrow smiled at her through the mirror and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. "By the way, littlest clown, if you want my company when you can't sleep all you have to do is ask." He didn't give her a chance to respond before swiftly making his way out of the bathroom and heading off towards the kitchen.

Jester smiled to herself, ignoring the pounding in her head and the waves of nausea in her stomach as she began drying and styling her hair. It was only 8:00, she knew she had two hours before Joker's therapy session – if his Doctor decided to show up, that is.

She finished her hair and makeup rather quickly and made her way downstairs, slipping into the living room to lounge on the couch for a little while. The rumpled blanket and pillows on the couch didn't phase her one bit, she was used to Bane's men crashing in the living room at this point and figured one of them simply forgot to straighten up. She flipped on the TV and wasn't too surprised to see the news channel on. She was about to switch the input to watch Netflix when she caught a glimpse of some very familiar green hair. There was Joker, clear as day in his Blackgate jumpsuit, completely unshackled and standing in the middle of what looked like a bloodbath. There was a body at his feet and a rather large pool of blood surrounding it streaming steadily from the guy's face and throat. Jester looked closer, recognizing Deadshot, Johnny, and Tommy in the video and noticed they were all covered in blood and gore.

She turned up the volume, not believing her eyes, and listened as that dumb broad Vicki Vale rambled on and on about a prison riot and a possible Trinitarios gang initiation or war.

"ARE YOU _FUCKING _KIDDING ME?!" She shouted, shooting up off the couch and glaring at the TV.

She was feral, pacing the living room with clenched fists and wild eyes, furious that she had just been there yesterday and made Joker promise to keep Tommy safe. This was not keeping Tommy safe – _this_ was expediting their executions.

* * *

Scarecrow knew that Bane and Ruiz would be downstairs with both babies. Since he was the only one who usually made everyone coffee and breakfast every morning, he set to it as soon as he entered the kitchen, a little startled when he saw Double-Tap at the kitchen island instead of Bane or Ruiz. He was sitting there as if he belonged, as if he'd lived there as long as the rest of them had, with a cold beer in his hand.

"What in the _actual_ fuck?" Scarecrow would've chuckled at his usage of one of Jester's signature phrases but he was too bewildered for that as he locked eyes with the man.

"Mornin,'" Double-Tap chirped, giving Scarecrow a nod. "You're the breakfast and coffee guy, right? That's what the big guy said." Double-Tap pointed at Bane who was sitting at the kitchen table with Ruiz, Ace in his arms and Reina in Ruiz's.

"What the _fuck?_" Scarecrow repeated incredulously, raising his eyebrows at Bane and pointing his spatula at him. "Care to fill me in, Bane?"

"Don't ask me, Scarecrow," Bane shrugged, glancing at Double-Tap. "He was here when we came down."

"The girls brought me back here," Double-Tap supplied, chuckling as he set his beer down on the counter. "They were _way _too fucked up to make the walk back here by themselves."

"Where did you sleep?" Scarecrow narrowed his eyes at Double-Tap and slowly stalked his way around the table, perfectly imitating Joker's predatory movements. He held his spatula an inch from Double-Tap's nose and raised his chin, looking down his nose at the cocky man. "Well?"

"On the couch, man," Double-Tap raised an eyebrow at Scarecrow and used one finger to lower the spatula. "No need to get all uptight."

"I will strap you to Old Sparky downstairs and pull a Green Mile Percy on you if I find out you slept anywhere but on the couch," Scarecrow hissed, glaring at Double-Tap. He kept an eye on him as he slowly made his way back to the kitchen counter, getting started on making coffee and breakfast.

"You know for a _fact_ I didn't sleep in Jester's bed," Double-Tap's amusement was clear in his tone and Scarecrow went rigid, fighting off the urge to do exactly what he threatened to. "Oh, and I like my bacon crispy and my coffee light and sweet."

Bane shot the man a glare and Ruiz just shook his head. Bane ignored Double-Tap's insinuation. They had all heard the commotion when Jester dragged Scarecrow out of his bed last night. Bane knew Scarecrow was doing what he always did – placating her and making her happy. He knew Joker wouldn't care and that Scarecrow wouldn't make any bold moves, he respected the _Mortifera_ far too much. His voice boomed in the kitchen as he warned the cocky hitman.

"He may look normal to you, but do not underestimate Scarecrow – he will have you screaming and crying for _tu_ _madre_ in a matter of seconds without having to exert any energy. They call him _El Demonio _for a reason!"

Scarecrow grinned wickedly as he cooked up several omelets, his back to Double-Tap. He said nothing, letting his reputation speak for him – or in this case; Bane.

"So I've heard," Double-Tap mused, finishing his beer. "Ah, nothing like the hair of the dog to fix ya up after a _long_ night."

Scarecrow nearly snapped the spatula in half at that, doing his best to ignore the infuriating mans' obvious attempts to raise his hackles. He ignored it, letting the insinuation roll off of him, and tucked it away in the back of his mind for later. He'd rather tell Joker during the breakout when he was lost to his Madness than over the phone. Yes, he would enjoy watching Joker cave the narcissist's skull in. Perhaps he'd stick him with one of his new fear toxin strains to make it more _interesting_.

* * *

Jester's furious shout from the living room startled them all. Scarecrow nearly dropped the plate in his hand, his eyes darting over to Bane. All of the men, even Double-Tap, sprinted from the room and towards the living room. Scarecrow still had the plate of omelets in his hand when he stormed into the living room, donning only his flannel pajama pants and his cooking apron.

"Nice outfit," Catwoman drawled tiredly, walking her two fingers along his bare spine like a spider. "What's goin' on?"

Harley and Poison Ivy arrived soon afterward, both looking tired but concerned. They all stood in the living room, watching Jester as she paced and growled under her breath, knowing better than to approach her when her eyes were black like that. Much like the Joker, she was murderous and irrational when her eyes were dark – there would be no reasoning with her. Vicki Vale's voice booming on the TV drew their attention and they all watched the video footage of Tommy fighting and killing Machete, putting two and two together as Joker's green hair invaded the screen and showed the man himself covered in blood spatters and standing in a pool of it.

Scarecrow set the plate down on a table along the wall and carefully approached her like one would a starved wild animal. "My littlest clown," he cooed, slowly slipping his arms around her waist to stop her pacing. "Would you like to see if Ivy will give you some of her perfume so we can make a trip to Blackgate? I'm sure you'd like to see Tommy, wouldn't you?"

Jester's eyes slowly turned back to aqua green as his words pierced through her racing, jumbled thoughts. She relaxed in his arms, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat to calm herself down. "Thank you," she muttered, slowly snaking her arms around his neck. Scarecrow kissed her temple and rested his head on top of hers, slowly swaying side to side to further relax her.

"You're telling me J tolerates this shit?" Double-Tap pointed in Jester and Scarecrow's direction and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "He hasn't killed this fuckin' guy?" He watched as Scarecrow slowly lowered himself onto the couch with Jester in his arms, pulling her into his lap and cradling her as she calmed down.

"Oh Tap," Catwoman mused, "Scarecrow loves her and J knows. There's an understanding between them, something you wouldn't be able to wrap your silly little head around."

"If ya _must _know, Mistah J told him to take his place while he's locked up, so Scaredy-crow can do as he pleases." Harley lifted her chin, glaring daggers at Double-Tap.

"You guys really _are_ fuckin' crazy," Double-Tap muttered, shaking his head.

* * *

"Copperhead, thanks for meeting us." Jester calmly made her way across the docks of Port Adams to the short blonde haired snake hybrid, fully aware that this meeting could go only one of two ways. There was no in-between, no gray area. Tommy had killed a Trinitario OG, one of Copperhead's people.

"_Mortifera_, I hope you are not concerned about that nasty riot business. Machete was not acting under my command." She chuckled, the sound melodic and seductive. She glanced over at Bane, giving him a grin. "After our meeting, I made it clear that you and your people are not to be touched by any of mine. He disobeyed me and he deserved what he got."

Jester raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You did?"

Copperhead nodded at her. "I have no qualms with you or your people. I am surprised you thought I might hold a grudge. It is my understanding that Machete started it."

"I wanted to make sure there were no grievances," Jester said coolly, giving Copperhead a small smile.

"None," Copperhead assured her. "Now, on to more interesting matters... have you come up with a new strain, Doctor Crane?"

Scarecrow grinned, slowly making his way to Jester's side. He snaked an arm around her waist, enjoying the feel of her body pressing against his as she leaned into him. "I have," he drawled. "I must say, your venom was quite easy to work with. I'm not certain yet of what effects the mixture will have, but I have a few other strains I'm working on that I planned to test out during the breakout."

Copperhead grinned from ear to ear, her snake eyes glowing behind her mask. "I'm looking forward to it." Her gaze shifted back to Jester and she noticed Jester was dressed in normal clothing but wore her ankle and shoulder holsters along with her tactical belt. "Running errands?" She winked at Jester and Jester smirked at her.

"You could say that," she said coolly. "I wanted to meet with you before I snuck back into Blackgate to give the boys a what-for."

"Sounds like fun! Do you have room for one more?"

Jester's smirk broke into a grin. "I was hoping you'd ask."

Bane chuckled behind them, shaking his head. "Another woman to stir up trouble with the rest of you," he mused.

"We could use a few more women in our happy little family to even us all out," Jester jabbed. "I'm starting to feel like I live in a men's locker room."

Scarecrow rolled his eyes and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Let's go, sassy," he murmured. "Things to do, people to see."

"You can ride with me, _La Diosa_," Bane offered, motioning with his arm to his H1. Copperhead happily obliged, moving almost exactly like a snake towards the large vehicle and into the passenger seat.

"I will never cease to be amazed by the way she moves," Jester murmured, watching the snake hybrid intently. "Incredible."

"I find it unsettling," Scarecrow muttered, helping her into the driver's seat of her Range Rover. "Gives me the creeps."

Jester barked a laugh, looking at him incredulously as he slipped into the passenger seat. "The creeps? You, of _all_ people?"

Scarecrow just smirked at her, reaching over and turning the radio on. "Shouldn't you be singing something by now?"

"Avoidance again, huh? Reminds me a little of my birthday." Jester chuckled too busy scrolling through her playlists on her phone to see the way Scarecrow's lips tightened into a line and the color drained from his face at her comment. He turned his head to look out the window, trying to force his memory of kissing her out of the forefront of his mind. He was thankful when she finally settled on a song and began singing her lungs out, speeding through Gotham like a madwoman.

* * *

After stopping at the house to switch cars and pick up Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Harley, and – to everyone's annoyance – Double-Tap; they reached the first guard post at the entrance to the draw bridge. Jester cackled as the two guards in the booth became frantic upon recognizing her, reaching for their radios and looking bewildered when they couldn't find them.

"Looking for these?" Copperhead appeared out of a cloud of black smoke, hanging upside down from the ceiling of their booth and flicking her forked tongue out at them menacingly as she dangled their radios in front of them in one hand. "Or these?" She pulled her other hand from behind her back and waved their cell phones at them.

"Ivy?" Jester looked into the rearview mirror and grinned at the wicked look on Ivy's face, shifting so Ivy's vines could slither over her seat and out of her window. The vines produced little flowers and within seconds, spores were filling the guard booth, making their way into the guards' bodies as they breathed.

Copperhead was already back in the backseat on the passenger side, laughing as the guards' faces lit up with puppy love.

"Forgive me, Ivy," one of the guards cooed. "I'll bring the bridge down right now."

Ivy rolled her window down and glared at both guards. "See that you do not make me wait ever again," she scolded, adding a little extra seduction to her tone. "You will not tell a soul that we are here and you will not let anyone but us and the car behind us over this bridge."

"Yes, Ivy," the other guard sapped. He was leaning out of the window of the guard booth, staring at her all starry-eyed. Ivy scoffed and rolled her window up, rolling her eyes.

"This is a good test run, if you think about it," Catwoman observed. "This could be exactly how we get in during the breakout."

Ivy grinned. "Good point, Selina," she cooed, manipulating the plants on the other side of the bridge that surrounded Blackgate to release spores inside. Little vines and flowers crept into each guard tower, office, post, and corridor, releasing spores and taking control of the minds of all the personnel in the building. Ivy's eyes were closed as she focused, communicating with her babies.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Jester smacked her hand to her forehead. "That's fucking genius."

"Well, we are on the test run now," Copperhead smiled at her from her seat next to Harley.

Harley was chewing her gum loudly, an evil little grin plastered on her pale face as she watched the prison come into view. "Somethin' tells me we're about to have a lotta fun!"

"That reminds me," Jester pulled out her cell phone and sent a text to Frankie Boles as they pulled into the parking lot, parking in a shady corner that wasn't easily seen by visitors or staff. She had warned him that they were coming when she called him earlier to get information about the riot, but she didn't know that Ivy would be using spores to control the guards. She knew he was probably wherever Joker was and didn't want him getting brainwashed.

_'Let the boys loose – have them meet us in the Jungle. Oh, and wear a mask... unless you want to be brainwashed into one of Ivy's little fuckboys.' _

The response was immediate.

_'You got it, boss lady. Thanks for the heads up.'_

"She's only fucking with the guards, right? I want all these assholes fully coherent and lucid for what I'm about to do." Jester glanced at Ivy whose brows were furrowed in concentration, her eyes still closed. She looked almost like she was meditating and Jester chuckled.

"Yeah, I think she's only goin' for the guards. She's got control like that." Harley twirled one of her pigtails in her finger and shot Jester a wink. "Quit worryin' so much!"

* * *

"What do you think J's gonna say when he finds out you slept with his Queen?" Double-Tap had been goading Scarecrow the entire ride from the mansion to Blackgate and Scarecrow was thankful to finally be in a place where he could kill to his heart's desire. He was at his wits end with the hitman but knew he couldn't do a damn thing to him yet since his participation in the breakout was crucial.

"You would rat on _El Demonio?" _Bane shot Double-Tap an annoyed look. "I see. You would rat to put yourself in the Clown's good graces. You do not fool me, _cabr__ón_. I see the way you look at _Mortifera_. You want to throw Scarecrow under the bus so you can make your move."

Scarecrow barked a laugh at that, surprising both men. "You think Joker would allow you to make a move on his Queen? You think Jester would allow you to lay a single finger on her?" He stopped walking and stepped into Double-Tap's personal space, eye to eye with him. "There is a reason I have the liberties that I do with her, Tap. Keep that in mind."

Scarecrow's blood boiled at the thought of Double-Tap touching, kissing, and holding Jester the way that he did. No, he'd never allow it, even if Joker lost what was left of his mind and gave him the green light. Scarecrow smirked, calming down as he reminded himself that Joker had chosen him to step in if anything ever happened to him – had put _him _in his position while he was locked away in this hell hole. No, if anyone got to make any kind of _moves_ on Jester, it would be him. No one but him.

"I'm pretty sure those 'liberties' don't include you sharing a bed with her, but okay," Double-Tap's arrogance was only stoked by Scarecrow's challenge and Scarecrow balled his hands into fists.

"Do what you will," Scarecrow drawled. "I hope you brought a mask, Tap. I only brought enough for the others." He shot Double-Tap a feral grin before spinning on his heel and sauntering over to Jester, purposely locking eyes with Double-Tap as he pulled Jester into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"He's not serious, is he?" Double-Tap glared at Scarecrow as he watched Jester snake her arms around the tall, lean man. She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest and looked as serene as ever in his arms. It irked Double-Tap to no end.

"You better hope he isn't, _chulo." _Bane chuckled, amused at Scarecrow's ability to cause the arrogant man mental distress with only a few words. He made his way over to the rest of the group, ignoring Double-tap as he went.

* * *

"Hey big boy," Copperhead crooned, winking up at Bane as he gently draped an arm over her shoulders.

"We good to go?" Jester felt antsy, shifting her feet as she turned towards Ivy.

"Good to go," Ivy said coolly, dressed in nothing but vines and leaves as she sauntered through the parking lot and towards the main entrance. Vines surrounded her, coming from her hair and her body and thrashing like whips in agitation as she neared the guard post, a clear threat not to come anywhere near her.

"I want you to go build me a beautiful, enormous greenhouse," Ivy cooed at one guard, batting her eyelashes at him. "You and all your little guard friends. It would make me _so_ happy."

"Anything for you, Ivy," the guard breathed, radioing the other guards who all responded in equally breathy voices. He made his way out of the guard station, the other one with him following suit, and they disappeared around the side of the large, formidable building towards an area full of lush grass and enough space for a greenhouse.

Jester cackled, catching up quickly enough to hear the tail end of the conversation. "Genius," she complimented. "How long will we have?"

Ivy turned and smiled at Jester, using vine to stroke her cheek affectionately. "A few hours," Ivy purred. "More than enough time to scold the boys and make some examples out of the other riff-raff."

"Good, 'cause I'm dressed to kill," Harley quipped, doing a sultry little spin and wiggle to show off her outfit. She was wearing her Harlequin costume, mask and hat included and was armed with her revolver and her bat. "You shoulda worn yours, Jestah," she frowned, taking in Jester's black shirt, jeans, and black heeled boots.

"Who says I didn't bring it?" Jester grinned, flicking her eyes towards Scarecrow who was dressed nicely as always with a duffel bag in his hand rather than his usual briefcase.

"Oh, you wanna surprise everybody, huh?" Harley giggled, skipping towards the front doors and pulling one open. "Let's go! We're burnin' daylight, guys!"

"You heard the woman," Catwoman mused, chuckling. "Let's get a move on." She sauntered in, almost disappearing in the shadows of the main entrance in her black bodysuit and mask.

"Where would you like to change, darling?" Scarecrow pulled Jester into him with one arm, wrapping it a little lower on her waist than he usually would so his fingertips brushed lightly over her ass. He was enjoying taunting and torturing Double-Tap. If he couldn't kill him, he'd make him suffer in other ways.

"Someone's frisky today," Jester whispered, smirking at him. "Was it my comment about my birthday?"

Scarecrow shook his head, bringing his face dangerously close to hers. "Not entirely, littlest clown."

"My, my... I must've wiggled one time too many, huh?"

Scarecrow winked at her and pressed a kiss to her face, almost directly on the corner of her mouth. "Getting warmer," he whispered, grinning when he felt Double-Tap's gaze burning into his back.

Jester's breath hitched in her throat when he gently pressed her up against a wall in a dark corner out of sight from the others. "Here," he whispered, his breath tickling her face. "I'll keep a lookout."

"Craney," she breathed, her chest falling and rising with her deep, ragged breaths. She wasn't sure what was happening or what had come over Scarecrow, but she knew one thing for sure – his behavior, his touches, and his teasing were creating a fire within her. She wasn't ashamed of it, nor did she feel guilty – she knew Joker wasn't threatened by the affectionate touches and kisses they always shared. This was on a completely different level, though, and it aroused her. This shift in his persona from gentle and kind to domineering and confident was a huge turn-on for her and she wanted more of it.

"Yes?" He purred, slowly handing her the duffel bag. He kept his eyes locked on hers and she noticed a very thin, very faint sliver of glowing orange around his pupils.

"I – um..." Her mouth went dry as she struggled to find words, completely frazzled by him. "I..."

"Shhh," he cooed, placing his hands on her hips and leaning towards her until their bodies were mere centimeters apart. "Get changed for me, hmm? Then we can go have all the fun you want."

"_Fuck_," she hissed, biting harshly on her bottom lip as she fought the urge to latch her mouth onto his. "Okay. Just uh... just cover me, okay?"

Scarecrow chuckled huskily, lifting her chin with his hand and pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "Double-Tap's snitching on us, you know," he whispered, sparing a glance at the seething man 20 feet away. "We might be in big trouble with Joker."

"Yeah right," Jester grinned wickedly. "He told you to take his place, didn't he? I doubt he gives a shit that we slept in the same bed."

"Double-Tap seems to think ratting us out will gain him Joker's favor and allow him to make a move on you..." Scarecrow watched as her expression hardened and grinned. "I may have told him that if anyone would ever be allowed such liberties, it would be _me_."

"Oh?" Jester noticed the orange slivers in his eyes growing thicker. They were bright and glowing like molten lava and they captivated her. The color was beautiful.

"Are you angry with me?" His voice was husky, low, and seductive as he pressed his body against hers, testing the waters.

"No," she breathed, glancing at his lips. "Not at all. You're right, after all."

"That's all I wanted to hear," Scarecrow whispered against her mouth, his lips lightly brushing against hers. "Now change, my love, before that little cretin comes over here to try and take a peek."

"O-Okay," she gasped, licking her lips and shaking her head slightly. "I'm on it."

Scarecrow smirked, more than pleased with his little victory, and cocked his head at Double-Tap who had purposely hung back instead of following the others to watch his interaction with Jester. "Don't you have a job to do?" Scarecrow jabbed, making a shooing motion with his hand.

"You're right – I should probably get to J since I have so much to discuss with him." Double-Tap put a skip in his step as he finally walked off, whistling loudly through the corridors as he made his way to the Jungle.

"Cocky prick," Jester muttered, her voice coming from behind Scarecrow.

Scarecrow chuckled. "That he is, darling. That he is."

* * *

_Joker was shoved into his cell by the guards, finally back after a month spent in solitary. His hair was long, shaggy and completely disheveled. His uniform was filthy underneath his straitjacket, his eyes were rimmed with darker circles than usual and he was a lot thinner. He didn't mind, didn't care at all – being thrown into solitary for a month, starved and abused was worth the kiss he had shared with his lovely cell neighbor. His thoughts of her were the only things that helped him hang onto his last, frayed thread of sanity the entire time he was there. _

_He looked around his cell and chuckled dryly, noticing they had stripped him of his bedding and his shower shoes. He shook his head and slowly began to try and get up on his knees. The guards had dumped him to the floor in his straitjacket, knowing he'd struggle to get up. He was used to it. His bones cracked and popped as he moved, sore and aching from being cramped in the fetal position on a stone floor for a month. His black and blue ribs and stomach screamed in pain as he slowly lifted his upper body from the floor and his dislocated shoulders burned as he used his locked together arms to pull himself up on his cot. He was a mess, that much was certain. This was the lowest and weakest he had been in years. The guards had a field day torturing and beating him during his time in solitary, knowing no other staff members would see him during his time there, not even his pretty Doctor. _

_He finally flopped back on his cot, hissing in pain as his entire body screamed its protest at the movement. "At least I'm still pretty," he mused. His broken nose, raccoon eyes, and dislocated jaw had already healed. _

"_I'm not so sure about that," Raven's voice grabbed his attention instantly and he snapped his head in her direction, ignoring the pain it caused him. _

"_Not so kissable anymore, huh?" He grinned, his chapped lips cracking and bleeding. He carefully sat up and scooted his way off his cot, scooting his way across the floor and coming to kneel at the bars that separated them from each other, forcing himself to keep a straight face despite the agony coursing through his entire body._

"_At the moment? Definitely not. What the fuck did they do to you?" She watched the corridor for a moment before slowly moving towards him. She looked him over, frowning, and slipped a hand through the bars to stroke his cheek. _

_Joker nuzzled into her hand, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of her touch. "Don't worry your pretty little head, Songbird," he murmured, shifting closer to her. _

"_What can I do?" His eyes popped open at the softness of her voice and he took a good, long look at her, realizing she was concerned about him. He laughed to ease the tension, kissing the palm of her hand and winking at her. _

"_You can sing me a song," he purred, looking into her eyes. "I like it when you sing, ya know." _

"_Of all the things I can do for you, that's all you want? For me to sing to you?" She was incredulous, shaking her head at him. _

"_That's all I want." He was serious, his gaze softening. "It was quiet in there, ya know? I like your voice, it's nice. So, would ya?" _

"_Your wish is my command," she teased, settling herself down on her knees in front of him. _

"_Careful," he warned playfully. "I can be very hard to please." _

_She waved him off and grinned at him, leaning forward and getting as close as she could. _

"_No," Joker hissed, pulling his head back so he was out of reach. He felt the blood dribbling down his chin, and normally he would love for her to kiss him and have a taste of it, but he knew she'd become infected and he didn't want to watch her die. No, not her. **Anyone** but her. "Don't." _

"_I thought -" She frowned and he saw a flash of pain in her eyes, making him feel guilty. _

"_It's not that," he explained. "Not while I'm bleeding, alright? My blood will do things to you, things I don't want to happen to you." _

"_I see," she murmured, furrowing her eyebrows. "Like your Joker Venom?" _

"_Where do you think it comes from?" He prodded, raising an eyebrow at her. _

"_Oh," her eyes lit up with understanding and he smirked at her. _

"_I'd prefer to keep you alive if ya don't mind," he teased, winking at her. "Now, about that song..." _

"_You got it," she chirped, making her way over to her cot and pulling an extra blanket she had hidden from beneath her mattress. She quietly walked back over to him and slipped the blanket through the bars, carefully pulling it over his shoulders and back so it was draped over him. "Any requests?" She asked, ignoring the quizzical look he was fixing her with. _

_He shook his head dumbly, surprised by her kind and thoughtful gesture. He was careful not to move, not wanting to lose the blanket she had so generously given him, and simply watched her. _

"_Dealer's choice? Alrighty! I guess it's a good thing I've had this song stuck in my head all day." She lay down on the floor in front of him, folding an arm under her head and wrapping her other hand around the bars that separated them, looking right into his eyes as she sang to him. _

"_I wrote this song for you,_

_I gave you all I knew how to,_

_I kept you in my mind and_

_I just need you to listen,_

_I miss you every day,_

_Nothing is ever the same,_

_Without you, I am not me,_

_My soul is empty, I feel_

_So fucking empty,_

_So fucking tired,_

_I just need you by my side,_

_So fucking empty,_

_So fucking tired,_

_I just need you all the time,_

_Everyone is growing,  
Everyone is coping,_

_I don't know how to feel,_

_I don't know how to handle this,_

_Why do I feel so alone?  
Why do I feel like I'm always on my own?_

_I wrote this song for you,_

_I gave you all I knew how to,_

_I kept you in my mind and_

_I just need you to listen,_

_I miss you every day,_

_Nothing is ever the same,_

_Without you, I am not me,_

_My soul is empty, I feel_

_So fucking empty,_

_So fucking tired,_

_I just need you by my side,_

_So fucking empty,_

_So fucking tired,_

_I just need you all the time,_

_Everyone is growing,_

_Everyone is coping,_

_I don't know how to feel,_

_I don't know how to handle this,_

_Why do I feel so alone? _

_Why do I feel like I'm always on my own?"_

_Raven smiled as she finished, fixing Joker's blanket so it covered him fully. He had fallen asleep around the end of the song, succumbing to his exhaustion and his pain and laying flat on the ground. She made her way back to her cot and grabbed her pillow, slipping it through the bars and tucking it carefully under his head as he slept on the floor. It was late at night and she was exhausted, but instead of sleeping on her cot she grabbed the thin mattress and her blanket, setting her mattress down on the floor and wrapping herself in her blanket as she slept on the other side of the bars from Joker. She watched him sleep soundly until she faded into darkness herself with a tiny smile on her face, happy that the only person whose company she enjoyed was finally back. _

_Joker had woken up at some point during the night, stiff and sore from sleeping on the floor and came face to face with her when he opened his eyes. She was on the other side of the bars, sound asleep on her mattress and wrapped up in her blanket. He felt something soft under his head and furrowed his eyebrows trying to make out what it was in the dark. A pillow. He glanced over at her, noticing she was using her bent arm as a pillow and realized she had given him hers. He glanced at his own body, covered up in the extra blanket she had given him and chuckled, realizing she had done her best to tuck him in and keep him warm when he had fallen asleep. _

"_Little bird," he whispered, wanting to wake her up so she could get back to her cot and sleep more comfortably. _

"_Shhh," she whispered, shifting a little as she slowly stirred. _

"_Wake up, birdie," he giggled quietly at her refusal to wake up, wishing his arms were free so he could poke and tickle her. He wanted to hear that delightful cackle of hers again._

"_No way," she grumbled, flipping so her back was to him. "Comfy." _

"_You'd be more comfy in your cot, princess," he cooed. _

"_Why, you joinin' me?" She turned back over and cracked one eye open, a smug little smirk playing on her lips. _

"_Naughty," he purred, winking at her. "Get to bed. Don't sleep on the damn floor." _

"_You're sleepin' on the damn floor," she mocked, grinning at him._

"_Yes, well, I'm used to sleeping on the floor. You, on the other hand... you should be sleeping on your cot. You're a lady, after all. Can't have a lady as pretty as yourself sleeping on the dirty floor at my expense." _

"_Calling me a lady and pretty in the same sentence? My, my! I'm flattered," she shot him a saucy wink and he chuckled, licking his lips and tasting the iron of the dried blood on them. _

"_How do I look?" He was teasing, hoping she'd make a clever little jab at him, but she surprised him again. _

"_Good enough to eat," she murmured huskily, coming closer to the bars. "You're not bleeding anymore." _

"_You don't know that," he countered. He licked his lips again anyway, doing his best to clean all the dried blood off of them, trying to distinguish what was old and what might've been fresh. _

"_Oh, I do," she argued, her eyes glittering with mischief. "Come closer." _

_Joker sighed, doing as she bade despite his trepidation about kissing her again. "You're gonna get us both in trouble again, little bird," he warned her, giving her a smirk._

"_Fuck it. It's my turn to go to Solitary." She grinned wickedly at him and it caused a shiver to run down his spine. _

"_Oh, you're bad," he growled. "You like kissing me that much, huh?" _

"_Ya know, J... I don't remember. I think I need a refresher." _

"_You're gonna be the death of me, you little minx," Joker whispered, getting as close as he possibly could. Their lips were only a couple of inches apart and his breath hitched in his throat as she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his softly. _

_He allowed her to kiss him that way for a few moments, letting her drink him in slowly, knowing she was probably just as confused and nervous about this as he was. Once she relaxed into the kiss, he grinned against her mouth and deepened it, slipping his tongue into her mouth and caressing hers. She surprised him when she moaned quietly into his mouth, reaching her arms through the bars and wrapping them around his neck, tangling her fingers in his long hair. _

"_Oh," he purred, nipping at her bottom lip. "Careful, princess, I don't come with brakes." _

"_I don't care," she breathed, her usually bright green eyes dark with lust. "Why don't we get you out of that jacket? I wanna see what's underneath." _

_Joker's eyes widened and he froze, not daring to move an inch as her words sank in. Normally, he'd love nothing more than to accommodate her, but he didn't want her to see the black and blue bruising all over his body. She didn't need to see that – didn't need to know how extensive and serious the abuse had been. His mind raced to think of something clever to say – some kind of plausible excuse he could make that she would believe. _

"_What if I like teasing you?" He countered smoothly, licking his lips at her. "Maybe I want you to work for it... after all, this is only our second kiss." _

"_I'd believe you," she said coolly, looking him right in the eye, "if I wasn't 99% sure you're just trying to hide the evidence of those assholes beating the snot out of you from me." _

_Joker shook his head, smirking a little. "You're too clever for your own good, sweetheart," he complimented. "Come back here, gorgeous." _

_She shot him a glare but did as he said, their lips reconnecting in a heated, hungry kiss. He sighed when he felt her hands cupping his face, enjoying the electricity her touch sent coursing through his veins and shooting down his spine. He couldn't wait to break them both out – he wanted her for himself and would make damn sure that's exactly what happened. Sure, Doctor Quinzel was pretty with a nice pair of legs and a lot of potential, but Raven was different – Raven drove him insane with the simplest of looks and touches and she intrigued him on an almost dangerous level. He was desperate for her, he **needed** her. Doctor Quinzel was more of a convenience – a woman that could be useful, but not one that he absolutely had to have. _

_He let himself get lost in her, in their kiss, wishing his hands were free so he could tangle them in her soft raven locks and cup her pretty face in them. Kissing her was worth every second he spent in Solitary, that was for sure, and he'd happily do another month for this one. There was just something about her that gripped him by the very soul and wrapped him around her slender, pretty fingers, and he relished in it._

* * *

The sound of his cell door opening snapped Joker out of his memory with a jolt. "What's goin' on?" He growled, eyeing Frankie Boles as he entered his cell and began unlocking his shackles.

"It seems Jester would like a word with you in the Jungle."

"What?" Joker furrowed his eyebrows, a little confused. Here he was, pissed off at her for not answering any of his calls or texts the night before, exhausted because he hadn't slept a wink in the past 3 or 4 nights, and _she _was mad at _him_?

"She saw the news. They know all about the riot. I'm assuming that's why the entire squad is here and making their way to the Jungle. You better hurry up. Deadshot, Tommy, and Johnny are waiting for ya."

Joker sighed, cracking his neck and dragging his tongue over his teeth. "Judgement Day, huh?" He made his way out his cell and nodded at the boys, none of them saying a word as they made their way out of Solitary and through Max, slowly making their way to the Jungle.

"Is she mad at me?" Tommy looked extremely worried as they made their way through the corridors, feeling like he was walking the Green Mile.

Joker glanced at him, not stopping for even a second. "I think I'm in more trouble than you are, kid," he drawled. "I betcha she's here to give me the business about the riot yesterday."

"I don't know, man... if she brought the whole squad, that means all our girls are here and they're all pissed. Ain't none of us getting out of this unscathed." Deadshot was calm, breezing through the corridors without a care in the world.

"Shit." Tommy grimaced, imagining the claw marks he'd suffer at the hands of his beautiful girlfriend.

They stopped when Double-Tap kicked off of a wall in an alcove, popping into their vision as if by magic. "Ah, J. Just the man I wanted to see."

"Tap?" Joker walked right up to him, raising an eyebrow as he loomed over him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I came with the girls, Bane, that Scarecrow douche, and some snake chick." Double-Tap scowled as he mentioned Scarecrow and it piqued Joker's interest.

"I see... what's your beef with Scarecrow?"

"Guy's got one hell of an attitude, if you ask me," Double-Tap said nonchalantly, examining his cuticles as if this was the most uninteresting conversation in the world.

"You must've pissed him off," Joker prodded, folding his arms over his chest. "Spit it out, or I will force it out of you. I don't have the time nor the patience for this."

"I'll start at the beginning. I ran into the ladies at the Stacked Deck last night, drunk out of their minds and complaining about not finding any trouble worth getting into. We drank, we danced, we bantered, and I walked them all back to the mansion since they were a little too fucked up to make it by themselves..." Joker put up a hand to stop Double-Tap in the middle of his story.

"Stop. Rewind. They were at the _Stacked Deck_?"

"Yeah, Jester said something about going all over the East End and Crime Alley to try and test out her new bodysuit but not finding any trouble worth their time."

"And then you danced? With _my_ Jester?" Joker's eyes flashed black and Double-Tap's widened. He hurried to explain.

"Not like that, J. I didn't touch her, I swear. She danced with the girls and I was close by to keep an eye on things."

Joker chuckled humorlessly, shooting Double-Tap a wicked look. "Of course. Then you walked them home to _my_ safe house where my son sleeps at night, because you're just _that_ much of a gentleman, right?"

"I just wanted them to get home safe. They didn't drive, they had done some 'parkour' thing or whatever to make their way to the East End. They were pretty trashed and I just wanted to make sure they'd be safe, that's all." Double-Tap looked like a deer caught in headlights, wanting to make his point quickly so he wasn't in the hot seat anymore.

"And what does this have to do with Scarecrow?" Joker stretched his arms out, holding the boys off as they crept closer, all with nasty looks on their faces as they stared Double-Tap down. Deadshot and Tommy weren't thrilled at the thought of this asshole alone in the dark with their inebriated women. Johnny wasn't thrilled, either.

"Well, when we got to the house, Jester stormed into his bedroom and dragged him out of bed, demanding that he sleep with her. And he did. They woke up together in your room this morning."

"So not only did you _compromise_ my safe house, but you stayed the night as well? And you're snitching on Scarecrow to me because...?" Joker's voice was a low snarl, his eyes flashing with his aggravation.

"I was drunk, too, and I knew I couldn't make it back to my car in the East End. I crashed on the couch downstairs. I just figured you'd want to know that Scarecrow was in bed with your Queen."

Joker laughed, the sound bouncing off the empty corridor walls. "Did they fuck?"

"I don't know," Double-Tap answered honestly, shrugging. "He came downstairs this morning shirtless and he's been pretty touchy-feely with Jester since we got here."

Joker giggled, gripping Double-Tap by the shoulders and squeezing until Double-Tap's eyes bulged. "Let me tell ya somethin', Tap. If Jester fucked Scarecrow – you'd _know_. You'd hear her screams a mile away, and Craney would be covered in bite marks, claw marks, and bruises. I'm gonna say this _once_, Tap, and then you're gonna skedaddle to the Jungle and do whatever it is that my Queen told you to. _Ready_?"

Double-Tap nodded quickly, holding his breath.

"I _told_ Scarecrow to take my place while I am gone as far as Jester is concerned, meaning to treat her and be with her the way _I_ would if I was home. So, Tappy, even if they fucked – _I wouldn't care._" He cackled at the shocked look on Double-Tap's face, getting to the point. "You think I'd be angry about Scarecrow being touchy-feely with her? He always is, and I don't care. Straw Man and I have an understanding. _If_ they ever fuck, all I'd wanna know is if Jester enjoyed it." He released Double-Tap and stepped so close to him their noses were almost touching. "If you've been rude to my good friend Scarecrow, you better fix it, or I'll have your fucking head during the breakout once you're no longer useful."

Double-Tap kept his mouth shut and simply nodded, taking off in a sprint when Joker dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

"Are you serious?" Deadshot's eyebrows were raised in shock as Joker turned to face him.

"As a heart attack," Joker said coolly. "I told Scarecrow on Thanksgiving that I want him to step in and take my place if anything ever happens to me. I trust him to take care of Jester and Ace in my place. He loves them both and he'd die for them. I don't care if they kiss, hug, fuck, whatever." He chuckled at the looks of shock that bled into all of their faces. "He loves her more than anything in the world, he's no threat to me or my relationship with her. He cares for her and loves her in ways that I can't – you guys have seen it for yourselves. He's good for her. Her happiness matters more to me than anything else – even if it means she's twice as happy with me _and _Scarecrow."

"What the hell brought this on? You were always so possessive of her, so _jealous_. Remember the night she kissed Harley?" Deadshot was fucking floored.

"We almost got executed yesterday," Joker said calmly. "I had _no _plan for something like that. If they took us into that fucking chamber for killing all those guards and our involvement in the riot, we would've had one hell of a time trying to get back out. They could've gassed us. You know that's what they do, right? That execution chamber houses a fucking _gas chamber." _

"You're immune to shit like that," Tommy said coolly. "You would've made it out and back home."

"No, no, no, no, no," Joker wagged a finger at Tommy in a mock scold. "They know that. They've got Ol' Sparky, the gas chamber, lethal injections... they'd give me the god damn firing squad, kid. You know how many guards I killed yesterday trying to get to you? They'd spray the walls with my guts and they'd be thrilled about it. They'd take what was left to the morgue and burn it."

"So... tell me if I've got this right. You're fine with Jester having a relationship with Scarecrow outside of your own because we _almost_ checked out yesterday?" Deadshot snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "Nothin' like a riot to put things in perspective, huh?"

"I want her to be happy no matter what," Joker explained. "If that means having both Scarecrow and I, then so be it. You guys see how he is with her – how he was with her during her pregnancy. He was the only one that could approach her, calm her down, and rationalize with her. I couldn't even do that!"

The guys chuckled and Joker spread his arms in an 'I told ya so' gesture. "Listen, boys. He's madly in love with her. I've known it for a while. Who am I to keep them apart? She'll still be mine, and when the time comes she'll be _my_ wife, but she'll be _his_ too."

"That is some selfless, crazy, weird shit but hey, I'm cool with it." Deadshot shrugged, making his way around Joker and continuing down the hall. Johnny followed without a word, knowing better than to voice any opinions when it came to his boss's relationship with his Queen.

Tommy clapped Joker on the shoulder. "That's big of you, man. Sharing the love of your life with another man? I don't think I could do it."

"I can because he makes her just as happy as I do. She needs him. Every time she and I fight, he's right there to pick up the pieces and put her back together. He would do anything for her. At the end of the day, she's mine no matter what – mind, body, heart, and soul. She'll never belong to him the way she belongs to me. I'm not worried about them riding off into the sunset together." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "She loves _both_ of us, who am I to deny her? I could never." He shook his head and his face broke out in a grin. "Now, let's get goin' so they can give us a good what-for and we can all move on with our day."

* * *

_****AUTHOR'S NOTE****_

_There are quite a few plot twists ahead, including a very, very big one with our boy Scarecrow. The plot twist is important for his character development and for the direction I am taking this story in. Many more twists, turns, and surprises to come! Oh, and then there's the smut. Lots of smut._

_I've already planned out a sequel for this story, so believe me when I say we are far from finished :) Things are just getting started for our favorite band of Rogues._


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Thank you, as always, for the reviews! I realize the chapters are long – my apologies, I just can't help myself. On the days when I'm inspired, I can't seem to stop once my fingers touch the keyboard. _

_**Also, I warned you guys in the last chapter that there would be some twists in the story and that a big one would involve Scarecrow – so here we go! Reviews are always welcome and appreciated. :) Enjoy!_

* * *

Jester stormed the Jungle with Copperhead, Harley, Catwoman, Scarecrow, and Bane in tow. Ivy was busy making her way through the prison and manipulating vines, ivy, and small flowers to grow through the cracks in the stone walls so she'd be able to manipulate them from across the bridge the day of the breakout. As soon as they entered, all activity in the Jungle stopped. All the inmates turned to look at the group of Rogues as they made their way to the middle of the concrete room, some terrified and others curious.

Jester glared at a group of inmates playing a game of dominoes as she approached their table. They got the hint pretty quickly when Bane cracked his knuckles behind Jester, looking down his nose at them threateningly. They moved immediately, clearing the table for her and she chuckled, swiftly jumping up on the table and straightening her spine. She scanned the entire room, meeting as many of the inmates' eyes as she could, making sure she had everyone's full attention.

Double-Tap entered the Jungle at that precise moment and Jester simply snapped her fingers to get his attention, pointing at one of the unoccupied guard towers. He shot her a wink and a smirk as he made his way towards the tower, armed to the teeth and making a show of setting up his sniper rifle and silencer as inmates watched on.

"I assume you all know who I am," Jester barked, glaring at the inmates. "I'm also going to assume that you know why we are here. See, I heard there was a riot here yesterday and that it started with a threat on my cousin's life. Now, I know the man in question that started all of it is dead – like many before him, he underestimated my cousin." She grinned wickedly at that, noticing the looks on the remaining Trinitario's faces as they recalled the horrific end to that whole ordeal. "However, he was not the only one to attack my cousin and my boy Johnny Frost. I saw the video on the news. I've come here today to sort out all grievances you dipshits may have with me." She took off her shoulder holster, tactical belt, and ankle holster and handed them to Scarecrow who stood on the ground to the right of her.

"I'm unarmed – not even a garrote wrapped around my arm," she spread her arms wide and let them have a look for themselves. "So here's your only chance to put to bed any issues you may have with me. One at a time, gentlemen. My family here won't be getting involved."

On that cue, Bane and Copperhead made their way around the Jungle rounding up the remaining Trinitarios, Catwoman and Harley climbed up into two different guard posts of their own, and Scarecrow sat down at the table in front of Jester with all her belongings zipped up in the duffel bag he set down next to him on the bench. He wasn't a very big fan of this idea but he knew it had to be done – Joker's presence in Blackgate wasn't enough to keep the inmates in line since Tommy had been threatened right in front of Johnny. With Joker and Deadshot locked up in Death Row 23 hours a day, every day, the inmates would continue to try and make moves against Tommy, Johnny, and the rest of Joker's crew if Jester didn't pose this challenge to anyone and everyone that wanted a piece of her out of spite.

"Come on," she urged, beckoning them forward with her hands. "I don't have all fucking day, boys!"

"They're too afraid," Scarecrow smirked, eyeing a few of the Aryan Brotherhood inmates that had attacked Tommy and Johnny yesterday. "Seems like they were big and bad until you showed up."

"Or they're too terrified of me to put a hand on my Queen," Joker's purr in Jester's ear caught her attention but she refused to turn her back on any of the inmates to face him.

"You're ruining my plan," she accused. "They have problems with me, they need to take 'em up with me – not you, not Johnny, not my fucking cousin – _ME_."

"I'm not stopping you," he conceded. "I'm just here to watch the show, princess. May I make a suggestion?" He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek, never once taking his eyes off of the inmates in front of them.

"Go ahead."

"I suggest you strike first, baby. It's a show of force and it'll get this thing going. They're not going to start it – you have to."

"I know just who to start with," Jester grinned wolfishly, eyeing one of the Aryans that she saw trying to shank her cousin during the riot. "That one." She pointed him out and everyone's heads swiveled around to look at the tall, burly man with the long dirty blonde ponytail and goatee.

"You got a problem with me, bitch?" The man stepped forward, laughing at Jester as she continued to grin at him. "I ain't scared of you, sweetheart. I don't care _who_ you are. You wanna fight me? Bring it, you little shit."

"You will be very, _very_ sorry you ever said that," Scarecrow laughed, shaking his head. He helped Jester down from the table and tangled a hand in her hair to stop her before she walked off. When she turned to face him, he smiled brightly at her and kissed her forehead, both of them ignoring the hushed whispers that the action sparked. His eyes still had that orange ring around them, much more pronounced now than it was before. "End him quickly, darling. Those racist vermin don't play fair."

Jester winked at him and ruffled his hair, eyeing the Aryan over his shoulder as she contemplated her next move. Joker's and Scarecrow's smirks mirrored each others as they watched her muscles tense and coil, watching for that telltale twitch in her legs just before she launched herself like a jack-in-the-box. She took off like a shot, flipping in midair and landing on her hands, cartwheeling until she was upright. The man laughed at her and just before he could get a word out, she cranked her arm back and swung on him, shattering his jaw with just one hit.

"I taught her that!" Harley's voice rang out among the crowd and the whole gang laughed, including some inmates scattered around the room. She was grinning and cackling at her post, twirling her pigtails in her hands as she watched the fight progress.

"Come on, sweetheart. Take a shot at me, make my day," Jester was grinning wickedly at the man as he hissed in pain and cradled his jaw, ignoring the shocked looks on the other inmates' faces. They had all seen this very same man knock other inmates out cold with one swing many times – he was a feared adversary in the prison. Yet here was Jester – a little clown – shattering this grown man's jaw with one hit and taunting him like it was child's play. The inmates all backed up, giving the two fighters more space.

Joker slipped off the table and plopped himself down on the bench beside Scarecrow, both of them eyeing Jester like a hawk as she squared up with the much bigger man. "Double-Tap tells me you two shared a bed last night and you've been very uh..._ 'touchy-feely' _today."

"That's correct," Scarecrow said coolly.

"I know you didn't fuck her."

Scarecrow chuckled. "No, I didn't. I wouldn't cross that line and you know it."

"Did you want to?"

Joker's question threw Scarecrow off and he furrowed his eyebrows. "Pardon me?"

"It's a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer, Straw Man. I think you know by now that I wouldn't kill ya if you told me you wanted to."

Scarecrow sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "Permission to speak freely?"

Joker nodded, scanning their immediate surroundings for a moment to make sure they weren't being overheard. Hammer and the rest of his guys were scattered between the table he currently sat at and where Jester's fight was waging with the Aryan, all of them watching intently and ready to jump in at any point if things got out of hand.

"I want to all the time, Joker. I know that you're already aware of that. You're aware that I'm in love with her and have been for a while. You're also aware that I love her enough not to ever put her in a position like that or cross that line. I didn't want to fuck her last night, though. She was way too drunk, completely out of her mind, and I don't fancy the idea of taking advantage of women."

"Commendable, admirable, and respectable as always." Joker's voice was soft and low – the most sincere Scarecrow had ever head it. Joker leaned closer to Scarecrow, talking directly into his ear. "What if I told you I'd be fine with it?"

Scarecrow ripped his eyes off of Jester just as she ducked the Aryan man's wild haymaker and came back up with a knee to his stomach, dropping him to the ground as he gasped and choked. Joker snickered as Jester's cackling caused a few men to shudder. He looked at Joker with his eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline in shock. "Come again?"

"We talked about this, remember? You would do anything for her. You've always been there for her and taken care of her in ways that I couldn't or wasn't there to." Joker met Scarecrow's eyes and noticed the orange glowing rings surrounding his pupils and smirked, well aware of the beast that lurked under the surface and its domineering persona. This was the best time for him to have this discussion – if the beast truly was lurking and listening in, it would give Scarecrow the nudge he needed. "You have a bond with her that I cannot recreate or mimic. I used to be jealous of it – especially during her pregnancy. She wanted you all the time and was always furious with me. You spent more time with her than I did during that time – I was too busy handling business and neglecting her, and you took care of her. I realized that your bond with her is what keeps her hanging on – keeps her _sane_ – when I'm not enough or I'm the one pushing her over the edge. She needs you."

"What are you playing at, Joker? I'm in no mood for games."

"I'm not playing at anything, pal. I already talked to Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot about it. I've decided that, if Jester so wishes, she should have a relationship with you outside of the one she has with me. In essence, we would be_ 'sharing' _her, for lack of a better word. I told Double-Tap quite explicitly that if you and Jester had fucked last night, I wouldn't care, and I really wouldn't. I want her to be happy – you and I both make her happy."

"I'm not sure what you want me to say," Scarecrow muttered, shifting his gaze back to Jester who was currently beating the snot out of a second Aryan. He had her by the hair and she was laughing maniacally, bringing her fist up and punching him right in the throat. The man fell to the ground, gasping for air and Jester crouched over him, taunting him while he choked. Harley was cheering her on excitedly from her tower while Catwoman, Bane, Double-Tap, and Copperhead watched on quietly.

"You don't have to say anything to me, my friend. This is your green light to make a move on her if you so wish. If she allows it, take it further if you'd like. If she doesn't, at least you'll know where the two of you stand. She cares for and loves you, I think she'd go for it."

"I don't know if she'd let me," Scarecrow said coolly. "We had a moment of sorts earlier, but I think it was just an in-the-moment kind of thing."

"Oh?" Joker smirked and raised an eyebrow at Scarecrow, leaning back against the table and draping his arms over it. "_Do_ tell."

"I suppose I should start by admitting something to you first. The night of Jester's birthday, when I drove her home from the club, I kissed her." He glanced at Joker, studying his expression closely to see if the clown would be enraged, but to his surprise, the clown simply looked amused.

"That explains her mood that night and what she said about _'hiding things from her and deciding to tell her when I felt like it'_. What, did ya admit your feelings or somethin'? What happened?" Joker nudged him playfully, urging him to continue.

"It all started earlier in the day with Alice. Long story short, she asked me on a date and I declined. She asked me if there was someone else, I asked her to meet with me at the club to talk, and she did. She accused me of having an affair with Jester, of being in love with Jester, and even went as far as accusing me of being Ace's father or wanting to be – all of which I _explicitly_ denied. That's why she hasn't come back to the club, by the way. I told her if I saw her there again she wouldn't see the light of another day." Scarecrow sighed and ran his hands down his face, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. Joker was watching him intently, waiting patiently for him to finish his explanation. "That whole thing fucked me up – it took Alice saying it out loud for me to realize I was in love with Jester. That's why I was so distant that whole night, and when I drove Jester home. You know how she is – she called me out on acting differently towards her and lying and forced it out of me. Instead of saying anything, I lost control and I kissed her. It was a simple, quick one. That's why I was upset when she ran off the next morning – I thought it was my fault."

Joker chuckled, shaking his head. "Nope, that was all on me and my shitty non-proposal-proposal. Anyway – go on. What happened today?"

"You're not even the least bit angry that I kissed her that night?" Scarecrow was skeptical of Joker's amused, calm demeanor.

"Why would I be? It was a kiss. Ya didn't pin her up against the car and fuck her senseless." Joker clapped Scarecrow on the back, laughing and causing a few inmates to look their way. One glare from him turned their attention back to Jester's fight and gave them back their privacy. "Double-Tap called you a douche," he giggled at the word, running a hand through his hair. "I'm assuming he ruffled your feathers and you put him in his place?"

"I'd say that pretty much sums it up," Scarecrow confirmed. "He knew I slept with Jester and decided to start antagonizing me as soon as I came into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast. Jester lost her temper when she saw the news this morning so I comforted her like I always do. He didn't seem to like that very much – he was quite vocal about it, saying he couldn't believe you tolerate it and haven't killed me. His childishness persisted so I took the petty route and made a point to be more affectionate than usual with Jester to rub salt in his wounds. That led up to me pinning her against the wall when we arrived here. I teased her a little – you know, grazing her ass with my fingers, kissing her close to her mouth, pressing up against her. She seemed aroused by it, honestly. She became a little flustered and I backed off, and that's when Double-Tap went running to you. You should know that I also made a comment to him about me being the only one that would ever be allowed to take any liberties with her besides you."

"He's a fuckin' _rat_," Joker growled, glancing up at Double-Tap and glaring at him. "I don't like rats. Let me guess – he thinks ratting to me about you and Jester means I might look the other way while he pants after my Queen?"

"That's exactly what Bane said, which led to me telling the prick that I'd be the only one to ever have such liberties with her besides you – I've been quite bold today." Scarecrow had locked his gaze on Double-Tap, watching the cocky man as he watched Jester with a bright smile on his face, thoroughly enjoying watching her savagery from his post.

"I don't know why you seem to think any of this would drive me to kill you. _Relax_, Straw Man." Joker laughed, clapping Scarecrow on the back. "I told you to take my place while I'm gone – that means you may do as you please. You want to pin her up against a wall and kiss her? Do it. You wanna fuck her? Do it. I want her to be happy, I want her to have everything she wants, and I think you and I can give her that. We'll figure something out when I get home, but in the meantime just make her happy, love her, take care of her, and keep her distracted and busy."

"I'll only make a move if she is alright with it. You may have discussed this with Tommy, Johnny, Deadshot and me, but she isn't aware of your decision. You need to talk to her about this." Scarecrow shifted his gaze back to Joker and gave him a hard look.

"You and I will discuss it with her when she's done here," Joker assured him.

"Get up, you fuck!" Jester's roar grabbed both mens' attention and they shot to their feet, both storming through the crowd that had formed around her to get to her. When they reached her, she was crouched down on top of the first man from the Aryan Brotherhood, hammering her fist into his face even though he was already out. Her eyes had darkened significantly – they weren't completely black, but they were getting close. They quickly noticed that she had also broken his nose, cheekbones, and ruptured his eyeballs in her fury. He was a bloody mess but she kept going until loud blood-curdling squelching noises began ringing out in the Jungle and bouncing off the concrete walls. She was caving his face in.

"Cuz, stop!" Tommy yelled, shoving his way through the crowd to get to her. He hooked his arms under hers and tried to pull her up but she wouldn't budge, continuing to swing on the man as she caved his face in.

"Fuck off Tommy, this is _my_ kill," her voice came out in a vicious snarl and Tommy backed off, letting her have her way. He recognized the guy from the day before – he was one of the guys that tried to stab him. Deadshot and Johnny were standing with Hammer and the rest of Joker's guys, watching as Jester made an example that would never be forgotten.

"Let her go," Joker commanded coolly, sauntering over with Scarecrow in tow. He watched as she crushed the man's skull with her fists, splattering his blood all over the ground and herself, only stopping once his skull split open and grotesquely exposed his brain. She stood, panting and wild-eyed, trying to wipe the blood off of her face with the back of her hand, only managing to smear more across her cheek. Two more Aryans lay broken and bleeding at her feet, both out cold.

"Let this be a fucking lesson," she roared, capturing everyone's attention. "You come for my family, and I will come for you. I won't stop there – oh no," she laughed darkly, making her way through the crowd and jumping back up on her table in the center. She spoke loud and clear, making damn sure she would be heard by everyone. "Anyone who comes for any part of my family – _anyone_ I love and care about – will die by my hand only _after _I force them to watch me slaughter their entire fucking family. Not just immediate family, either. No, I will snatch the fucking souls of their cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, grandparents – **I will **_**erase**_** their entire fucking bloodline**."

She scanned the crowd, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand in an attempt to get rid of some excess blood there. She pointed at one inmate, then another, and another. She kept going, pointing out every single one she didn't recognize from the riot video that she knew didn't attack Tommy or Johnny in the riot. "To all of you that I just pointed out, get the fuck out of here. You get to live today."

The handful of them scrambled for the exit, running as fast as they could for the corridor before Bane forced the gate closed and blocked it off from other inmates trying to escape, knowing what was coming next.

Jester grinned from ear to ear, slipping her holsters and tactical belt back on and wrapping her garrote around her arm. She pulled her smokes and lighter from her belt and lit one for herself and another for Joker, watching as her friends began closing in on the remaining inmates from their positions all around the Jungle. She caught Harley's eye and winked, giving her a nod. "I think our friends deserve to get some exercise, don't you?" She smiled brightly at Joker and he laughed, draping an arm around her as he glared at all the remaining inmates.

"Absolutely," he growled. "I hope you can scale concrete walls," he taunted them all, cackling wickedly. "Because it's open fucking season."

All hell broke loose as soon as the words left his mouth. Catwoman, Harley, Copperhead, Bane, Tommy, Johnny, Double-Tap, Hammer and the rest of Joker's guys descended upon the remaining inmates, taking out their pent up rage on them. Jester wasn't the only one furious about the threat against Tommy and Johnny – they all were. They were all out for blood after watching the video on the news, witnessing Tommy and Johnny fighting for their lives in a prison riot started because of one asshole with a grudge and no proof. Today was a day of reckoning – too many people were challenging Joker, Jester, and the rest of the group and they were going to make damn sure it ended today.

"Let's have a chat, shall we?" Joker hopped off the table and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her down with him and chuckling when she wrapped her legs around his waist and planted a rough kiss on his lips, neither of them caring about the bloody mess it created.

* * *

Joker sat down on the bench with Jester straddling his lap, grinning at her as he waved Scarecrow over. Scarecrow sat beside them, watching the chaos happening around them with a wicked look on his handsome face. Catwoman had her whip wrapped around one man's throat, choking him while she slashed and kicked at another unfortunate inmate. Harley was happily swinging her bat, bringing it down on one inmate's knees after dropping him with her first swing. Johnny was getting payback for yesterday, squaring up with one of the inmates that had come at him. Copperhead had bitten a few inmates, from what he could tell. They were panicked, running around the Jungle and panting, swinging and swiping at the air around them. Scarecrow was enjoying watching Copperhead's venom work – the effects of it weren't so different from his fear gas. His attention snapped back to Joker and Jester at the sound of Jester's voice, dreading the conversation that was about to happen – he didn't have much faith in it going well.

"Let me guess – this is about whatever Double-Tap said to you, right?" She smirked at Joker, running her fingers through his slicked-back green hair.

Joker nodded. "That's right," he confirmed, rubbing her back with his large hands as he held her in his lap. "I told him I don't care what you and Scaredy-crow do. I asked him if you fucked, he said he didn't know, and I told him I wouldn't care if you did."

"What?" Jester's eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline in her shock.

"You heard me," Joker purred. "While you were uh... _busy_ over there, Straw Man and I talked about it. Isn't that right?" Joker looked at Scarecrow and Scarecrow simply nodded, giving Jester a small smile. "I told our pal here that if he wants to make a move on you, he's got the green light from me. Hey, hey!" He put his finger up to her lips when she made to interrupt, giving her a hard look and shaking his head. "Let Daddy finish, then you can ask all your questions. Scaredy-crow told me about what happened the night of your birthday and earlier today when you guys got here. I'm not mad, princess. We talked on Thanksgiving about his feelings for ya and I told him that if anything ever happened to me, I wanted him to take my place because I know he'll take care of you and Ace. After I sent Double-Tap scurrying here with his rat tail between his legs, I made it clear to the boys that if you want a relationship with Scarecrow outside of ours, I'm fine with it – in fact, I _encourage_ it."

"What the _actual_ fuck?" Jester leaned back, gripping Joker by his shoulders. She searched his eyes for any signs of amusement, dishonesty, or anger and found none – only seriousness. "What happened to the guy who snapped when I kissed Harley and nearly killed me for having breakfast with Doctor Mills? You told me explicitly that you don't share and that I only belong to you. What the hell changed? Where is this coming from?"

Joker and Scarecrow exchanged a look and Scarecrow cleared his throat, getting her attention. "Joker knows how I feel about you, Jester," he admitted. "He's known for a while. This isn't some sort of sexual kink or anything -"

"Says _you_," Joker teased, winking at Jester and laughing when she whacked him on the arm in a scold.

Scarecrow raised an eyebrow at him in irritation but continued anyway, wanting to get to the point. "You and I have a different bond than the one you have with Joker, and Joker thought it would be good for you to have a relationship with both of us simultaneously. I told Joker I'd only do this if it was alright with you. Judging by your reaction earlier today when I had you up against the wall, I like to think you'd give it a shot."

Jester blushed a little at that, squirming in Joker's lap. Her mind was racing, her heart was slamming in her chest, her stomach was doing flips and her mouth went dry. She felt nervous, curious, and excited all at the same time and had no idea how to respond to this. A huge part of her wanted to go for it, knowing she'd have the best of both worlds if she took them up on this offer. Joker loved her unconditionally and was her saving grace during her first and second stints in Arkham. He was the one that brought out her darker, truer nature and encouraged her. He was her protector, her lover, her other half, and the father of her child. Their love was passionate, violent, unpredictable, and fiery. He could drive her into a blind rage in the blink of an eye one moment and seduce her into bed with him the next. He was the love of her life – there was no doubt about it. She'd spend the rest of her life with him until her ticket got punched.

On the other hand, Scarecrow calmed her. He was the calm in her storm, the one that brought her back from the edge when she got too close. He was the one that understood her and brought out the woman she used to be – the loving, compassionate woman who just wanted to be loved, held, and comforted without having to ever ask for it. Scarecrow was the one who was there for her when Joker wasn't or couldn't be, the one that took the best care of her during her pregnancy, the one who knew all her deepest, darkest fears yet didn't take pleasure in them or exploit them. They were each others' peace when life got too crazy, violent, or overwhelming. She always felt so comfortable, fuzzy and warm in Scarecrow's arms and enjoyed every single second she spent with him. When she was hurting, anxious, or afraid she craved Scarecrow's embrace as much as Joker's. There was a small part of her that was always curious about Scarecrow after he kissed her the night of her birthday – it was a short, quick kiss but it still intrigued her all the same.

A small part of her – the loyal Leo deep inside her – screamed that this was wrong, that she should only have eyes for Joker. She felt slightly guilty as it raged at her, chastising her for lusting after and craving someone other than Joker. She tried to fight it, recalling the way Scarecrow had pressed her up against the wall earlier and seduced her and how aroused she was. She was seconds away from kissing him before he released her and _God help her_, she was disappointed when he did.

Her anxiety and paranoia screamed that this was a trap, a setup of sorts. That if she said yes and agreed to this, Joker would break her legs right here and now as punishment for wanting more. She tried to rationalize with herself, reminding herself that she knew when Joker was lying or plotting and hammering into her skull that he was serious right now and meant every word he was saying.

She shoved the clusterfuck of thoughts, anxiety, paranoia, guilt, and shame aside and blinked, snapping back to reality to find two pairs of blue eyes looking at her curiously. "Just – what brought this on, J? I need to know where the fuck this came from, because I can't make sense of this for the fucking life of me."

Joker's lips stretched into a thin line, his eyes flashing with what looked like remorse for a second. When he spoke, his voice was soft and low, and he looked her right in the eye. "I killed a lot of guards to get to Tommy and Johnny yesterday, Jester. The only reason I'm not a pile of ash right now is because the Warden got off on the bloodshed. If the boys and I got tossed into the Execution Chamber yesterday, I wouldn't have had a plan to get us out. We almost died, baby. I coulda been a goner. All I could think about last night was what would happen to you and Ace if I was killed and how real of a risk it is every single day." He gripped her face in his hands and held her gaze, driving the point home. "I knew Scarecrow would step in and take care of you and Ace and help you to raise him. I knew he'd be able to pick up the pieces and put you back together and get you back on your feet. At the end of the day, princess, I want you to be happy no matter what, and I know Scarecrow makes you just as happy as I do. The bond you two have would be the only thing to save you if something happened to me. You need him as much as you need me."

"Jesus," Jester muttered, slumping in his arms and burying her face in the crook of his neck. She wrapped her arms tight around his shoulders and clenched her jaw, biting back the tears that flooded her eyes at the thought of Joker never coming back to her.

Joker chuckled, stroking her hair with one hand and using the other to light up another couple of smokes for them. He handed one to her, kissing her forehead, and shook his head at her. "Don't get upset, baby. I'm still here – we're all still here. We're not going anywhere, alright? I promised you I'd look out for Tommy and that's what I did. I'll keep looking out for the kid while we're here – just do us a favor and expedite that breakout, huh? If another riot breaks out, we'll be fucked."

Jester nodded, keeping that in mind for later. She'd have to call another meeting and see where everyone was with their parts of the preparation. She looked over to Scarecrow who was once again watching the bloodbath progress around them, an amused grin stretched across his face. She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention and smiled when he looked at her. "You're alright with this? I mean, it's not weird for you?"

"Not weird at all," Scarecrow assured her. The orange in his eyes was glowing brighter, drawing her in and captivating her. "The night you two got engaged killed me. That was the night I realized I'd never have a shot with you and never did anyway. _This_?" He motioned his hand around the three of them, "This works for me. Joker and I only want you to be happy – if you're happy, we're happy."

"I feel like a fucking Mormon," Jester mused, chuckling as she exhaled a cloud of smoke. "This is fucking nuts."

"_This_ is nuts?" Joker cackled, letting his head fall back in his mirth. "Look around you, princess – _that's_ nuts. A woman who was thrown out of a window, died and brought back to life by cats. A woman who is half snake, half-human with snake eyes, a forked tongue and a venomous bite. Three clowns with black, toxic blood and made nearly superhuman by falling into a vat of _acid_." He dropped his head and grinned at her, stroking her bloody cheek with his thumb. "I'd say an open relationship between three people is the most normal fucking thing in this Jungle and our household, doll face."

They all laughed at that, taking a moment to swivel their heads around and watch the carnage unfold. There weren't many inmates left standing – Bane had been taking them out by the handful in his rage, his Venom surging through his veins and making him ten times more beastly than he usually was. Joker had a point – they were all freaks of nature in one way or another, all of them insane in different ways, and this was something pretty normal in this day and age. She had always joked with her friends that one day she'd have several husbands so she could get what she wanted, when she wanted, from any man of her choice depending on her mood at that moment. Now she had an opportunity to do something very similar.

"Alright," she agreed, grabbing the attention of both men. "Let's try it out, see what happens."

"That's my girl," Joker purred, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "Look's like you're getting everything you wanted, Craney," he mused, glancing over at Scarecrow whose eyes were nearly completely orange.

Scarecrow grinned, running his fingers through Jester's hair and licking his lips. "Looks like it," he murmured, not taking his eyes off of Jester for a second.

Joker nudged Jester towards Scarecrow and she gave him a nervous look. He nodded at her, encouraging her, and she slid into Scarecrow's lap, chewing on her bottom lip as he wrapped his arms tight around her and tangled a hand in her hair. "Relax," Scarecrow whispered in her ear, his breath tickling her neck and sending a shiver down her spine.

Before she knew it, his mouth was on hers and she felt like her stomach was somersaulting. Her heart pounded as he kissed her hungrily, pulling him closer so she could drink him in. She gasped when he gripped her ass tight in one hand, groaning into her mouth. He slipped his tongue between her parted lips, exploring her mouth and tasting her for the first time. She forgot all about everything happening around them, even forgetting about Joker's pale blue eyes watching them curiously as Scarecrow kissed her, letting his hands roam from her ass to her thighs and her hips. She instinctively rolled her hips against his and Scarecrow chuckled breathlessly into her mouth, breaking their kiss. They were both panting, trying to catch their breath as they clung to each other.

"See?" Joker's soft voice in her ear had her licking her lips and tilting her head to the side to expose her throat to him. "I knew you'd like it," he purred, trailing his tongue up the column of her throat. "As it turns out, I liked it too."

"Jesus Christ," Jester whispered, trying to get her wits about her as both men teased and caressed her.

"He's got nothing to do with this," Joker chuckled huskily in her ear, nipping at the flesh between her ear and her jaw. "Now, get that sexy little ass home and wash this shit off ya."

Jester nodded, turning her head to look at him, keeping one arm wrapped around Scarecrow's shoulders. "One thing before we go," she quipped, smirking at him.

"Yes?" Joker motioned for her to turn towards him and she did. Her ass was settled in Scarecrow's lap, her arm still wrapped tight around his shoulders as Joker pulled her legs towards him and draped them over his lap, resting a large pale hand on her thigh.

"Did you know that you have rights to the Iceberg Lounge?"

Joker nodded, taking a drag of his smoke. "I know everything, baby. I was keeping that a secret – I wanted to surprise ya. How'd you find out?"

"Double-Tap's got a big mouth," Jester mused, winking at him.

"Prick," Scarecrow muttered, scanning the Jungle for the man in question and shooting him a nasty glare when he found him.

"This fucking guy," Joker growled, raking a hand through his hair. "I was trying to keep that a secret – but now that the cat is out of the bag, I guess I'll tell ya. I'm giving it to you, baby. I want you to have it. I've got Giggles – it's time the Queen of Gotham has a spot of her own."

Jester's face broke out in a grin and she squealed with excitement, wiggling in their laps. Scarecrow's stifled groan reminded her about his warning from earlier that morning and she blushed a little, stopping her movements almost instantly. Both men chuckled, knowing exactly what she was thinking, and she ignored them. "It's mine?" She asked, her eyes widening.

"It's yours," Joker confirmed, grinning at her. "Do what you want with it, baby. I suggest revamping the place – God only knows what those assholes did with it since Penguin died."

"Double-Tap told me Maroni might make a play for it," Jester muttered, stroking her chin in thought. "What do you think?"

"I already had my boys put my mark on that place. If Maroni tries to make a move, I'll fucking kill him myself. He should know better." Joker scowled, his eyes darkening a little at the idea. "You go there whenever you want and take a look, see what ya wanna do with it. If Maroni shows up or sends some goons in there, kill 'em all but leave Maroni half-alive for me. With that said, I don't want ya going alone."

Jester nodded, smiling at him. "Of course not," she agreed.

"I'll go with her," Scarecrow supplied. "I'll have Bane and the others come as well. If Maroni's making a play, we'll need a crew."

Joker nodded, stroking Jester's thigh with his fingertips. "If he makes a move, I want his face carved up. I want people to know who did it and why it happened. After this little uh... _example_ today, I don't think anyone else is gonna be making any power plays. If Maroni does, he's fucking stupid."

The three of them chuckled at that, finally getting up and making their way through the blood-soaked concrete floor and stepping over the bodies littering it.

"Looks like everyone had a good time," Joker mused, grinning as he took in all the carnage.

"If this is anything to go by, the breakout will be a blast," Jester smirked at her friends, all covered in blood and looking happier and calmer than they'd been in a while. "You alright?" She looked at Tommy who was smirking with his arm draped over Catwoman's shoulders, a shank held loosely in his free hand. Jester noticed the blood coating it and dripping off of it and chuckled, shaking her head.

"More than okay," Tommy quipped, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I appreciate you having my back, little cuz, but I can handle myself."

"I saw," Jester mused. "That was one hell of a show you put on yesterday. As angry as I was, I'm really proud of ya." She gave him a tight one-armed hug and backed off, shifting her gaze to Johnny and Deadshot. "I know you boys are alright. Thanks for taking care of Tommy for me."

"Man, he had that shit handled before we even got here. Kid's a fucking beast," Deadshot grinned at Tommy and Tommy laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Handled it like a pro," Johnny said seriously. "Showed no fear at all and handled himself well."

"Of course he did," Catwoman purred. "He was trained by all of us."

"Still carving up faces, huh?" Joker laughed, eyeing all the bodies littering the ground with Chelsea Grins. "Might start callin' ya 'Smiley' instead of 'Razor.'"

"No, I like Razor," Tommy said quickly, shaking his head. Jester caught his eye and smiled, patting him on the arm.

"'Razor' was a nickname my father gave our maternal grandfather. No idea why, but that's what he called him. Tommy's middle name is Ralph after our grandfather, we were all very close to him."

Joker nodded, pulling Jester close to him and kissing her temple. "Then 'Razor' it is, kiddo."

"I hate to break up this precious little reunion, but we must be leaving soon," Ivy's voice caught their attention. She was standing in the corridor on the other side of the gate, looking both ways and looking a little uneasy. "I've coerced them all back inside and into thinking nothing ever happened today. They'll clean this up and won't remember any of it."

"Excellent," Joker purred, laughing. "What an interesting day."

"I'll call another meeting and see if we can hurry up with the breakout plan." Jester pressed a soft kiss to Joker's throat and he growled, fisting her hair in his hand.

"Come see me soon, bring the crotch goblin."

They all burst out laughing at Joker's reference to Ace, amused at his term of endearment for his son.

"I will," Jester promised, pecking him on the lips as everyone else said their cute little goodbyes. "I love you, I miss you."

"I love and miss you too, baby," he whispered, kissing her again. "Call Luis Santos when ya get home and ask him for Tommy's interrogation tape. Ol' Gordy summoned him the day after we got here – I can't watch the tape yet but you can."

Jester nodded. "Will do, handsome," she cooed. "I'll kiss the babies for ya."

"I'll call you later," he promised, escorting her into the corridor after Bane opened the gate. He looked back at Scarecrow and caught his eye. "Make sure she showers, eats something and takes a nap before she does anything else today."

"I'm not a child, jackass," Jester rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance.

"I know you're not, but you have this annoying tendency to take care of everyone else before taking care of yourself. Go home, clean up, eat something and take a nap. Then go have some fun – go to Giggles or go look at the Iceberg Lounge. If you go anywhere else like oh, I dunno... the Stacked _fucking_ Deck," he gave her a pointed look, making it clear he wasn't happy about her little adventure to the seedy, sketchy hang out the night before, "you fucking shoot anyone and everyone that comes near you, you understand me? Don't trust anyone in the East End."

"Yes, Daddy," she whispered, waggling her eyebrows at him and biting her lip.

"Oh, you fucking minx," he growled, tugging her close to him and nipping at her throat. "Do as Daddy says, princess. Get that ass home. Gorgeous women in sexy bodysuits don't belong in this shit hole."

Jester laughed, shooting him a wink. "After that little show I put on, I own this fucking prison," she taunted.

"Yeah, yeah. Get outta here," Joker planted a kiss on her forehead and smacked her ass, making a shooing motion with his hand.

"Alright, alright! Give the boys my love. I'll see you soon, I promise." She blew him a kiss and laughed when he pretended to catch it, walking backward as he made his way back down to Death Row after Tommy, Johnny, and Deadshot.

"That was fun," Harley chirped, skipping down the corridor childishly with her bat slung over her shoulder.

"Hell yeah, it was," Jester agreed, lacing her fingers through Scarecrow's and holding his hand as they all made their way through the prison to the main entrance. Scarecrow smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head as they walked.

* * *

By the time Scarecrow and Jester reached the parking lot, everyone was already there and waiting for them. Harley grinned when she saw Jester skipping along, practically dragging Scarecrow by their tangled fingers as he maintained a casual pace. "_Finally_," she called, winking at Jester.

"Sorry, I'm a little sluggish after that brawl," Jester explained, misconstruing what Harley was referring to.

"Not that," Harley huffed and rolled her eyes. "_That_," she pointed to Jester and Scarecrow's joined hands and Scarecrow grinned wickedly, lifting their hands to kiss the back of Jester's. The orange in his eyes was bright enough now for everyone to notice, but nobody said a word about it.

"Oh, _that._" Jester giggled and shot Harley a wicked grin before she spun around, standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips against Scarecrow's once more.

"They're finally making out? It's about damn time," Catwoman chuckled, watching as Scarecrow grinned against Jester's mouth.

"Ah, puppy love. So sweet." Bane grinned at the display, slinging a large arm around Copperhead. Copperhead looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow, not used to seeing Bane being such a teddy bear around so many people – especially not around so many Rogues.

"This has _got _to be a sick fuckin' joke," Double-Tap spat.

At the sound of Double-Tap's voice, Scarecrow growled. He shook his hand loose from Jester's and wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing her ass as he deepened their kiss.

Their friends wolf-whistled and made some pretty crude comments but Scarecrow didn't care, he was thrilled to sock it to Double-Tap again. Jester was grinning against his mouth and he chuckled, sliding a hand up to cup the back of her head as he theatrically dipped her, making a show of slipping his tongue into her mouth.

"Hot damn! I'm sweatin' over here!" Harley fanned herself and laughed, rubbing salt in Double-Tap's wounds.

Scarecrow pulled Jester back up and slowly pulled away, looking deep into her eyes as he stood with his arms around her. "That's how I should've done it the first time," he whispered, ignoring everyone else around them. "I'm sorry about that."

"You've got all the time in the world to make it up to me now," Jester smiled brightly at him, running her fingers through his shaggy brown hair. "You can start as soon as we get back home."

Scarecrow laughed, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a firm kiss to her lips. "Let's go, darling." He draped an arm around her shoulders as he escorted her to the car she came in, opening the door for her and helping her into the car as he always did. "Jester," he held her door open and gave her a serious look, needing to get something off of his chest before she took off. She locked eyes with him and gave him a small smile, encouraging him to go ahead. "I'll do this with you, but you need to promise me something,"

"Anything, Craney." She meant it.

"Promise me you're only doing this because you _want_ to – not because Joker told you to. I don't want you doing this with me if your heart isn't in it... you'll end up breaking _mine_."

Jester leaned forward and kissed him softly, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand as she pulled away. "My heart is absolutely in it, Craney. I _do_ want this, probably as much as you do. I'm just still so shocked and confused by it, you know?"

"I know, littlest clown," he murmured, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. "Are you certain that we need Double-Tap for the breakout? Bane and I could always just dump his body in K.C.'s sewer on the way back."

Jester laughed, ruffling his hair affectionately. She lowered her voice and looked around to make sure no one overheard her before telling him the truth. "You and I both know his help isn't required... he's just a distraction, maybe even collateral."

"My evil, clever little clown..." Scarecrow smirked at her, his orange irises burning into her aqua green ones. "You never cease to impress me."

Jester licked her lips, heat settling into her core once more at that naughty look on his face. "Get in your car and get the fuck home, Craney, and make it fast." Her voice was low and husky and he grinned, caressing her thigh to tease her.

"As you wish," he murmured, brushing his lips against hers.

Jester moaned quietly at his touch, biting down on her bottom lip.

"Hold that thought, my love," he teased, finally shutting her door and making his way over to the heinous minivan that Bane was driving for the sake of subtlety. He walked with a swagger in his step and a cocky smirk on his face, winking at Double-Tap to stoke the man's ire as he slid into the passenger seat. "Let's get home, Bane. I've got a fire to put out."

Bane's laughter boomed in the van as they pulled out of the parking lot, drowning out Double-Tap's quiet cusses.

* * *

Jester, Copperhead, Ivy, Catwoman, and Harley got home before the boys did. Jester went straight up to the nursery to see if the babies were up from their nap and to her delight, they were. She cooed at them, leaning over the crib and stroking both of their faces gently with her fingertips. She picked Reina up first, making quick work of changing her diaper and changing her into a clean outfit. She was just about to set Reina down on the floor to play with the many, many toys that littered it when Catwoman entered the room. "Let me take care of them," she purred. "You're covered in that asshole's blood. Go take a nice hot shower and get cleaned up."

Jester grinned at her friend, setting Reina back down into the crib and pressing a kiss to each baby's head. "You've got a point," Jester agreed, looking down at her blood-soaked bodysuit, boots, gloves, and arms. "It's dry now so it's becoming painful when I move."

"I know the feeling," Catwoman sighed. "No one ever told us that being a bad guy isn't fun _all_ the time."

"Speak for yourself," Harley chirped, sweeping into the room and picking Ace up, grinning at him when he laughed. "What fun would it be if we weren't beating the hell out of jerks?"

Jester chuckled, shaking her head. "Very true," she agreed. "Alright, ladies, I'm off to take a shower. Let me know if you need me. Thanks for taking them for me."

"Oh, no problem. We figure you'll be preoccupied for a couple of hours..." Catwoman waggled her eyebrows at Jester and Jester blushed.

"Shut up," she hissed.

"Aw, come on, Jestah! You and Scarecrow have had this steamy, intense thing between ya for ages! We all knew it was comin', we just never figured J would be the one to facilitate it." Harley winked at her, tossing Ace up in the air and catching him to make him giggle.

"You keep saying shit like that," Jester raised an eyebrow at Harley. "Was _everyone_ – besides me, obviously – aware of this chemistry or whatever between Craney and me?"

"We noticed it more during your pregnancy. If I was an outsider who didn't know any better, I would've thought Scarecrow was the father and not J." Catwoman gave her a half-shrug, cradling Reina to her chest. "I think it's good for all of you."

"She's right," Harley chirped. "Besides, the boys blabbed to us. They were cluckin' like chickens, I tell ya."

Jester laughed, shaking her head. "Unbelievable."

"What else can you expect from a bunch of Rogues that have become the fucking Brady Bunch? We've gotta have some kind of fun during our downtime."

Jester grinned at Catwoman, giving her a slight nod. "It has been kinda quiet around here, huh? We should have some kind of fun soon, like a girls' night or something."

"The other night was fun before that asshole Tap showed up," Harley rolled her eyes, bouncing Ace in her arms. "We should bring the snake lady, too. Her and Doctor Davis! The broad never gets out, and I'm pretty sure she's got Stockholm at this point."

Jester mulled it over, tapping her chin in thought. "Ya know what, Harley? You're right. Listen, I gotta take over the Iceberg Lounge before Maroni makes a move on it – I'll need help."

"I like where this is going," Catwoman purred, winking at Jester. "You let us know when you're ready. Now shoo! Go get all pretty and smooth for _Doctor Crane."_

"You're both fucking depraved," Jester teased, narrowing her eyes at both of them.

"Yeah and from the shit you scream when J's fuckin' ya, you are too." Harley cackled as Jester flipped her off and made her way out of the nursery.

She made her way into the bathroom, stripping quickly out of her boots, gloves, and bodysuit, hanging her bodysuit up on the back of the bathroom door so she could clean it later. She opened her Spotify app and scrolled through her playlists until she found one she liked. She turned on the water, setting the temperature to scalding and moaned when she stepped in and the hot water hit her. She scrubbed all the blood and gore off of her skin and out of her hair right away, happy to be finally getting rid of it.

An hour later she was laying in bed in just one of Joker's t-shirts on the cusp of sleep. The exhaustion from the day and the big brawl in the Jungle had finally sunk in and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. The door opened and she knew it couldn't be the dogs – they were always where the babies were, and the babies were downstairs at the moment. She felt the bed dip and smiled, rolling over to peer at Scarecrow from under her heavy eyelids. He had only a pair of flannel pajama pants and boxers on, nothing else, and she couldn't help herself as she raked her eyes over his lean, muscular body.

"Tired, darling?" He whispered, laying down beside her and pulling her into his arms. She draped a bare leg over him and wrapped an arm around his chest, snuggling into his side.

"I'm shot," she rasped, letting her eyes flutter shut as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Let's get some sleep, shall we? We'll go to Giggles later and have some fun."

Jester smiled, sighing when his hand slipped up her shirt and rested on her bare hip, gently stroking her skin with his fingertips as she fell asleep.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Thank you for the reviews! I'll be trying to make the chapters a little shorter from now on. As promised, the next few chapters will contain plot twists, Scarecrow's character development, and lots of smut – for those of you that are vanilla or light of heart, I apologize in advance. In my crazy little head, Scarecrow and Joker have very different kinks than Jonathan Crane. You'll see what I mean as this fic progresses. Please keep the reviews coming! I love your input! xo_

* * *

"_Well, well, Jonathan. Look at you, finally getting everything you ever wanted." _

_Scarecrow froze and swore his heart stopped beating at the sound of an all too familiar demonic growl behind him. The source of the voice slowly crept into his vision and Scarecrow paled as he came face to face with the creature he had long ago convinced himself was either a figment of his imagination, or a side effect from his father's experiments on him when he was a child._

"_You..." he breathed, recoiling when the creature's glowing orange eyes bore into his own. "You're not real." _

"_Don't be stupid, Jonathan," the creature snapped, tilting its head to the side. "Did you really think you did it all on your own? I've been guiding you all day. How else would you have mustered up the courage and the confidence to make a move on the little clown?" _

"_I did that on my own," Scarecrow argued, glaring up at the tall creature. "You had nothing to do with it!"_

"_She saw me," the creature purred. "She looked right into my eyes and it aroused her. You should be thanking me – I am the one who poured gasoline on the spark between you. Sure, the clown helped you along, but I am the one that forced your hand." _

"_Let's say I believe you. Why did you come back?"_

"_I was never gone," the creature's grin spread wider and Scarecrow shuddered. "I've always been here, lurking just under the surface... watching, **waiting**." _

"_Let me rephrase: what brought you to the surface?" Scarecrow narrowed his eyes at the creature as it chuckled, using one large, clawed hand to pat him on the shoulder as if he was a child. _

"_The cocky one," it answered. "He covets what is ours – he was trying to take her from us." _

"_Double-Tap?" Scarecrow smirked at that, raising an eyebrow at the creature. "You resurfaced because of that pathetic scoundrel?" _

"_Drop the act Jonathan, I know you better than that. He ruffled your feathers enough for your control to slip. That reminds me, I should be thanking him – if it wasn't for him grating on you so harshly, I wouldn't have been able to slip out of my cage." _

"_This is insane," Scarecrow muttered, beginning to pace. He looked around him and realized they were in the VIP section on the second floor of Giggles. The entire club was empty and quiet. It was just him and the creature stuck in close quarters with each other. _

"_I want you to go away," Scarecrow commanded. "You are **evil**. You will hurt her. You'll do terrible things to her and the people she loves. You have to go." _

"_I live inside of you, Jonathan. You can silence me, bury me in the back of your mind, ignore me and pretend I don't exist, but I do." _

"_Oh, so I'm possessed? No worries, I'll call a Catholic priest in the morning and have you exorcised by noon." Scarecrow smirked, sitting down in the booth and leaning back arrogantly. "I'll do whatever I have to in order to get rid of you for good." _

_The creature stood off to the side where Johnny usually posted up, grinning at Scarecrow and laughing, the sound sending a violent shudder down Scarecrow's spine. "Don't you remember Penguin? That wasn't a nightmare – what happened that day was real. As real as you are, as real as I am."  
_

"_No, that was a side effect of my own fear gas. I went temporarily insane." _

_The creature cackled, shaking with its mirth. "Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan... that was no side effect or bought of insanity. That was real. I took control and transformed. **I** tortured and killed all of those people. You couldn't handle it so you hid away in the shadows of your own mind, trying to shut me out. Trying to shut **reality** out. Penguin forced me out and it terrified you."_

"_Shut up," Scarecrow barked, pointing an accusatory finger at the creature. "That was a nightmare and nothing more."_

"_Why do you insist on fighting me? Things would be so much easier if you just accepted me and merged with me. You would not have to tire yourself out all day, every day trying to keep me locked away in the shadows. You wouldn't be so weak when it comes to the little clown. You wouldn't be afraid of anything anymore." _

"_Shut up!" Scarecrow grabbed a glass from the table and hurled it at the creature, growling in frustration when it shattered against the creature's charred, muscular chest and the creature laughed it off. _

"_Think of all the things we could accomplish as one – take the little clown, for example. She likes it when I'm in control – my dominance arouses and excites her. Sure, she loves how soft, kind, and compassionate you are but she also craves what I showed her – confidence, dominance, **strength**. You saw the look in her eyes when I backed her into that wall. She was beside herself with desire." _

"_Leave her alone," Scarecrow spat. "I know how you think. I know how depraved you are. You would brutalize her for your own entertainment and kill her once you were bored. I mean it, stay away from her." _

"_I do not wish to harm the little clown," the creature scoffed, coming closer to Scarecrow and leaning down to look him in the eye. "I burn with desire for her. I want her, need her... **love** her. Do you think all of your feelings towards her are your own? No, Jonathan. Your feelings for her stem from **both** of us." _

"_I don't trust you," Scarecrow argued, refusing to concede. "I won't let you hurt her." _

"_I would not cause her any pain she didn't ask for," the creature purred, winking at Scarecrow. _

_He smirked despite himself, amused by the creature's innuendo. "Why do you want to merge with me so badly? If you're as strong as I think, why not just take over and erase me completely?"_

"_You are my only friend," the creature murmured. "I have been with you since the beginning. Your mind has been my home for decades. We have shared the same skin, eyes, ears, mouth, and heart for as long as I can remember. I am as much a part of you as you are of me."_

"_If you have your own form, why do you live **inside** of me?" Scarecrow had always been curious about that since Penguin had forced him to transform into the very creature that loomed over him, wondering how something like that could possibly live inside of his human body. _

"_My life is tied to yours. If you die, I die. If I separate myself from you, we may both die. I do not understand it fully, I only know that the thought of separating from you is the only thing that terrifies me. I have never known an existence outside of you." _

"_I see..." Scarecrow sighed, dropping his head in his hands. "What do you want from me? You want me to, what? Merge with you? Let you coexist with me, inside my head? I'll go insane arguing with you all day, every day."  
_

_The creature laughed again, sitting in the booth across from Scarecrow. "That's not how it works, Jonathan. We would still be two separate entities. You'd be able to push me out of your mind when you wanted to and vise versa, or we could coexist. You and I would not be arguing back and forth like this all day. We would simply have equal control."_

"_I'm not seeing any benefits to this. Keeping you chained up in the dark corners of my subconscious sounds a lot better than risking you taking over my body and hurting her." _

"_It is in your best interest to give me that power. If there ever comes a day that she needs protection and you cannot give it, **I** can. I can take over and keep her safe. I can protect her in ways that you can't – in ways that not even the Clown can." _

"_What are you talking about?" Scarecrow's curiosity was piqued. He leaned forward, looking the creature right in the eye. _

"_I am not easy to kill, Jonathan. Don't you remember? Bullets, knives, fire, and other methods of destruction do not affect me. I am nearly invincible. It would take a lot to take me down, giving me the ability to protect the little clown from anything and anyone that would ever try to cause her harm." _

"_I don't like this," Scarecrow relented slightly, raking his hands through his hair. "It's one thing to accept that you're real and not just a figment of my imagination, it's another thing entirely to allow you to share my body and mind – and **her**." _

"_Despite my appearance, Jonathan, I am not the monster your father was." The creature slowly got to his feet, towering once more over Scarecrow. "You may not remember it, but I was the reason you survived. **I** saved your life that day. You and I were friends before that day. You couldn't handle what your father had done to you, so you projected his monstrosities onto me because it was easier – more **rational** – for you to blame the orange eyed giant demon instead of your human father." _

_Scarecrow looked up and noticed the sad expression on the creature's face, feeling a heaviness in his chest when its words sunk in. He erased his memories of the day his father almost killed him out of his mind ages ago. He couldn't cope with the knowledge and memories of his father's abuse and insanity, so he shut it all out and forced it all to the back of his mind – along with the creature that stood before him. _

"_Freeing me won't free those memories. They will stay where they are. I would not force them upon you, Jonathan. I was there through all of it – I saw all of it, I don't need the reminder any more than you do." The creature gripped his shoulder and squeezed it in a comforting gesture. When it made to pull away and leave, Scarecrow stopped him._

"_Don't make me regret this..." Scarecrow muttered, narrowing his eyes at the creature. "What do I even call you?"_

_The creature cackled, ruffling Jonathan's hair. "Scarecrow," he answered, grinning at the shocked expression on Jonathan's face. "Where did you think you got the name from?" _

_Jonathan said nothing, watching as the creature began dissolving into his skin. "This won't hurt a bit," its muffled demonic growl was the last thing he heard._

* * *

"Jesus _fuck_!" Jonathan hissed, his eyes snapping open as he shot up in bed in a cold sweat. He was panting, his heart slamming in his chest, his eyes were wild, and there was a heat burning inside of him that felt foreign yet comforting. He felt almost as if he was looking through someone else's eyes as he scanned the room, gasping for air and clutching the sheets in a white knuckled grip, half expecting to see the **real **Scarecrowin the room with him. He saw nothing, much to his relief, and looked to his right to find Jester's eyes wide open and fixed on him.

"The master of nightmares has nightmares?" She smirked and quirked an eyebrow at him, stroking his arm with her fingers to try and calm him down. "Wanna talk about it?"

_Yes, Jonathan, tell her all about the demon living inside of you._

Jonathan shook his head wildly, trying to shake Scarecrow's chilling voice out of his head. "Shut up," he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut. "You said we wouldn't argue."

_Relax, Jonathan. She's going to think you're insane. I've got an idea – she's naked under that t-shirt, how about giving her a good fucking? If you're not up to it, I sure am. **Hand me the reins!**_

"I said _shut up_!" Jonathan hissed, cradling his head in his hands.

"Oh shit," Jester murmured, sitting up and pulling his hands away from his head. She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "_Voices_? What's going on?"

Jonathan clenched his jaw as Scarecrow's cruel laughter bounced around in his head. "Not exactly," he muttered, resting his forehead against hers. "I suppose there's something I need to tell you," he spoke softly, cursing Scarecrow mentally for putting him in such an awkward, horrible position.

"I'm all ears," Jester whispered, tilting her head and catching his lips in a kiss. She pulled him down with her as she lowered herself onto her back, sighing when he settled himself on top of her and tangled his hands in her hair.

"Did you notice anything strange about me today?" Jonathan looked her in the eye, trying to gauge what she was thinking.

"Actually... yeah," she chewed on her bottom lip, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked into his sky blue eyes. There wasn't a single trace of orange to be found. "Your eyes were different. They had these bright, glowing orange rings around them... they got more pronounced as the day progressed."

_See? I didn't lie to you, Jonathan. I told you she saw me. I told you I was guiding you today. _

"Shut. Up." Jonathan snapped, averting his eyes from Jester's. "Sorry," he mumbled, his cheeks flushing a little in embarrassment.

"The orange eyes, they belong to the voice don't they?" Jester turned his face so she could look at him again, giving him a reassuring smile. "Listen to me. We live in a house with a woman who is literally more plant than human, a hulking man who is dependent on something called 'Venom' to survive – the very thing that could also kill him. You saw Copperhead with your own eyes – she's literally a snake hybrid with a fucking forked tongue and snake eyes. Selina is a gorgeous woman who was thrown out of a window, _died_, and came back to life thanks to feral cats 'reviving' her, and then there's Joker, Harley, Ace and myself... _four_ almost immortal clowns with pasty skin, inhuman strength, ridiculously high pain thresholds, toxic black blood, funny colored hair and bodies predominantly made up of acid. There's literally nothing you can say or show me that would shock, scare, disturb, or surprise me, and last time I checked – we're all some kind of fucking crazy in this house."

Scarecrow scoffed in Jonathan's mind and he squeezed his eyes shut.

_And you thought I wanted to hurt her? She is amazing. _

"What's it saying?"

Jonathan was caught off guard by the question, giving her an apologetic look. "I'm listening to you, I swear. He just keeps heckling me."

Jester chuckled, tapping him on the nose. "Want me to give him a good ol' verbal spanking for ya?"

_Oh, I like the sound of that! Let me out, let me out, **let me out!**_

"You're exciting him," Jonathan smirked at her, amused by Scarecrow's fascination with Jester.

"'Him?' What's his name?"

_HA HA HA! Good luck explaining that one, Jonathan! You stole my name, you scoundrel!_

"Scarecrow," Jonathan answered. "This is all a very, very long story."

"Give me the condensed version," Jester quipped, pecking him on the lips.

"I was born with... well, a _demon_ inside of me. Kind of like being possessed but not exactly the same. His name is Scarecrow and he's the creature my victims see in their nightmare states. I've been keeping him locked up in the darkest corner of my mind for ages, convincing myself he didn't exist and he was just a figment of my imagination. Something I made up to deal with my childhood trauma. He decided to break out of his little prison and was being a creepy peeping Tom all day, lurking under the surface and controlling me just enough to push me to do everything I did with you."

"It makes sense now," she marveled, grinning wickedly. "Your eyes had this orange ring around them when you backed me into the wall and your entire demeanor changed. There was something different about you. Same thing when you kissed me like that in front of Joker – it was all so out of character for you."

"That was Scarecrow. The _real_ Scarecrow." Jonathan sighed, rolling over and flopping onto his back. "He's obsessed with you."

Jester giggled, curling up into his side. "He has to share me with you and J. He's aware of that, right?"

_Oh, yes. That cocky green-haired fuck. Should've killed him years ago. _

"Yes, he's aware," Jonathan stifled a laugh at Scarecrow's childish tantrum. "Apparently he broke out of jail today because of Double-Tap. Safe to say he's not a fan of the asshole."

"I don't think anyone is," Jester laughed. "So, what should I call you now?"

"You always call me 'Craney.'" He raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed.

"I know, handsome, but if I'm speaking about you in a formal context I'm not sure how to refer to you. 'Jonathan'? 'Doctor Crane'? 'Jonathan Crane?'"

"Whatever makes you happy, gorgeous," Scarecrow purred. His pupils had turned bright, glowing orange. He ignored Jonathan's pleas to give him back control, eyeing Jester hungrily.

_You've had your turn, Jonathan. Now be quiet! I'm busy._

"You... you're... you're _growling." _She grabbed his face in both hands and studied the orange irises. His skin was hot to the touch – not enough to burn, but enough to startle her a little. The duality of its voice reminded her of the demon voice in the remake of Evil Dead and it both unsettled and intrigued her.

Scarecrow grinned at her. "To be fair, love, Jonathan _did _tell you I'm a demon," he clicked his tongue at her in scolding. "All those horror movies, ghost movies and paranormal shows that you watch and you're _still_ unsettled by the sound of my voice." He chuckled when she glared at him, clearly offended by his barb. "Never mind that, though. I've been waiting a long, _long_ time for this." He trailed his fingers lightly down the inside of her arm, sending a shiver down her spine as he crawled on top of her.

"Waiting? For what?"

"To do _this_," the creature replied, lowering his head and nipping at Jester's pulse point. He fisted his hands in her hair and tugged, eliciting a delicious moan from her. Before she could ask any more questions, he kissed her, caressing her tongue with his own and moaning as he tasted her. He brought one hand to her throat and choked her, gently at first, gradually increasing the pressure until she moaned – he was testing her limits.

"Scarecrow?" She was panting as she broke the kiss, her eyes darkened with her lust as she looked up at him. "Is it... I mean, can you bring Jonathan back?"

"You want _Jonathan_?" He glared down at her. "The shy Doctor?"

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" She spat, glaring back up at him. "He deserves to be in control right now – I want _him. _This is for _him." _

"Fine," the creature hissed. "Remember this conversation when you are begging him to give the reins back to me. I will do things to you that he is too afraid to, my darling... things that will make you _scream_."

Jester just continued to glare at him, only relenting once his eyes had turned back to their normal sky blue color. The shift seemed to have a devastating effect on Jonathan. He gave her an apologetic look, frowning down at her and climbing off of her to sit beside her on the bed.

"I am so sorry," he murmured, grasping her hand in his. "He forced me out, I couldn't stop him."

Jester bit her bottom lip and nodded, watching him carefully – waiting to see if Scarecrow would take control again or remain at bay.

"He wants to do terrible things to you," Jonathan whispered, gently pulling her face closer to his with his fingers under her chin. "Thank you for bringing me back. I couldn't do it on my own. I was terrified he was going to hurt you."

"Let _me _worry about it if it ever comes to that. I can handle him." She smirked at him and winked, slowly crawling her way into his lap. "Now, _Jonathan... _how about we prove to that asshole that you can fuck my brains out without any help from him?" She quickly yanked her sleep shirt off, fully exposing her naked form to him and grinned wolfishly at him.

Jonathan hissed, gripping her chin tight and kissing her. He wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her body flush against his and hardening instantly as he felt her bare breasts pressing against his chest. They pulled apart enough to take a good look at each other, drinking each other in and memorizing each curve, line, dip, and scar on each others' bodies. "Oh," Jonathan whispered, leaning back against the headboard as Jester's tongue trailed from his jaw, down his throat, and along his collarbone. She nipped harshly at it, leaving an angry little mark before moving to his peck, sinking her teeth into his skin and coaxing a loud moan from him. He tugged at her hair, letting his head fall back as she continued to lick, kiss, and bite her way across his bare chest. "_Fuck_."

"You like that?" She teased, looking up at him as she sank her teeth into his shoulder, sucking at the flesh and marking him.

"Get on your back, my love," his voice was low and husky, but normal. No duality, no growl, no demonic undertone.

Jester grinned at him and did as she was told, slowly lowering herself onto her back and stretching her legs out.

"You are exquisite," he murmured, raking his eyes over her body as he stood to take his pants off. He kept his boxers on, crawling on top of her and pinning her arms down at her sides. "Tell me you're sure, my love. Tell me that you really, _truly_ want this." He locked eyes with her, stroking the flesh of her arms with his thumbs.

"I want this, Craney," she breathed, wriggling underneath him as he kissed his way from her jaw to the base of her neck. "I want you. I _need_ you."

"Say it again," he begged, nipping at her throat.

"I need you," Jester whispered, fisting a hand in his hair.

"As you wish, littlest clown." He sat back on his haunches, looking down at her with a wicked grin on his face. She wondered just what he was up to until his hands found her legs, slowly caressing and stroking her flesh, starting at her ankles and working his way up. She licked her lips, moaning quietly when his fingers slowly trailed up her thighs and brushed very, very lightly against her slick folds.

"Are you enjoying yourself, littlest clown?" He gripped her ankles in his hands and pulled them up to rest on his shoulders. He turned his head to the side and kissed his way from her ankle to her knee, nipping, licking and sucking at her flesh as he went. He grinned down at her before repeating the action on her other leg.

"Very much," Jester breathed, bucking her hips a little at his touch and chewing on her bottom lip.

Jonathan leaned down over her until his lips were right next to her ear. He smirked when he felt her legs wrap tightly around him, her ankles locking together behind his back. "Does my touch make your pussy ache for me?"

"Oh my God," Jester moaned, delighted at his use of such a naughty word. "Yes!"

"Release me, darling," he cooed, tapping her thighs with his fingers.

She did as he bade and he pressed a quick kiss to her lips before slipping off the bed and standing up. He stood and raked his eyes over her form again, memorizing the image of her lying naked before him.

"Please," Jester writhed a little, trying to remain patient and let him do as he pleased with her.

"_'Please'_? You want me to touch you, don't you?" He smirked down at her, sliding his hands up her thighs, slowly inching his fingers towards her slick center.

Jester nodded frantically, jerking a little as his touch sent waves of need right to her core. "Please, Craney!"

"Spread your legs for me," he slowly knelt on the floor, propping his elbows up on the bed as she did as she was told. He grinned wolfishly at her, gripping her hips and pulling her closer to him. "I want you to look at me, Jester, and don't look away no matter what. Do you understand?"

She nodded again, biting down on one of her fingers. His cock twitched at the sight and he groaned. "Good girl," he whispered, gripping her knees and pulling her thighs as far apart as they would go. "Oh, what a pretty little pussy you have," he spread her open with his fingers, taking in her slick pink center.

"Oh fuck, Craney! Please, please, please!" She was beside herself with desire. Every touch, caress, kiss, nip, and lick stoked the fire inside of her that Scarecrow had sparked earlier in the day.

"Please what, my love?"

"Please touch me," she begged, biting down even harder on her finger.

"Relax," he cooed, looking into her eyes. "Remember what I said. Look me in the eye and don't look away. I want you to watch me as I please you." He didn't give her a second to respond before dipping his head between her thighs, dragging his tongue up her wet slit and flicking her clit with it a few times. "Delicious," he purred, dragging his tongue up her slit again. She moaned loudly and began to pant, spurring him on. He spread her open further with his fingers, lapping gently at every single inch of her and sucking her clit into his mouth. He licked and sucked at her pussy mercilessly, driven by her taste, her moans, her twitches and quakes and his desire to make her cum.

"Craney... Craney, I'm gonna -"

"Yes, my love, I know you are. Cum for me. Let me taste you on my tongue." He spoke against her wet pussy, sending vibrations through her and making her twitch again. He slipped a slender finger inside of her, bending it just a little and caressing the soft, spongy little wall that he knew would drive her into a frenzy. As he caressed it, he laved his tongue over her clit, sucking on it every few strokes to build her up. Once he felt her thighs clamping around his head and her legs beginning to quake, he added a second finger and pumped them faster in and out of her as he lapped at her, desperate to make her cum for him so he could taste her for the first time.

"Craney!" Jester was getting louder and he found himself hoping the others weren't hearing them. He moved his fingers faster and sucked harder at her clit, moaning against it to make it vibrate. "Craney! Oh! Oh my _GOD_!" He grinned as she screamed and writhed on the bed, gripping her thighs tight in his hands and using his tongue to push her over the edge. "Good girl. Let go."

She clapped a hand over her mouth and screamed as she shattered. He had to hold her thighs down with his forearms to keep her still as he licked and sucked at her, lapping up every single drop of her release as she came down from it. "You taste so sweet," he whispered, crawling back up on the bad and over her. Her lips were parted and she was panting, her hair a tangled mess and sweat beading on her forehead. "So sweet," he repeated, dipping his tongue into her open mouth to share her essence with her. He kissed her hungrily, cupping her face in his hands and pressing his body against hers as if he was trying to meld them together.

"I want to feel you," Jester whispered in his ear, snaking a hand between them and stroking his hard length over his boxers. Jonathan groaned and raked his eyes over her naked form, pulling her hand away.

"You will," he promised, caressing every inch of her skin that he could reach. His hands found her breasts and he squeezed them, pinching and rolling her pebbled nipples with his long, slender fingers and biting his lip as she moaned. "Oh, the sounds you make..." A slight orange sliver outlined his pupils and Jester gasped when he bit down on a nipple, sucking it hard and swirling his tongue over it to soothe the sting. He repeated the actions on the other nipple, eliciting more moans and gasps from her. He took his time, sucking on each one and flicking his tongue at them, driving her wild with pleasure. Every lick, every suck, every bite sent a jolt straight down into her core and she writhed underneath him, digging her nails into his shoulders.

"Craney, please! Stop teasing me!" She was begging, her eyes wild.

"No," he replied firmly, pinching and twisting both of her nipples in punishment until she yelped. He clapped one hand over her mouth to silence her and used the other to slip two fingers inside of her as he continued teasing her with his mouth. "I will make you orgasm for me over and over again, darling, until you can't take it anymore. When you start to _really_ beg me for it – that's when I'll take you. That's when I'll stake my claim on that sweet, pretty little pussy of yours. I want you as desperate for me as I have been for you."

Jester whimpered into his hand and spread her legs wider, her back arching as he fingered her and nipped at her sensitive flesh, rolling her hips into his hand. She cried out in protest when he removed his fingers from her, pleading with her eyes when he looked down at her.

He said nothing, only smiling down at her as he smeared her juices on her lips with his fingers before slipping them into her mouth. "Suck," he murmured, the orange slivers in his eyes growing thicker as he gazed at her. He tilted his head back when she did as he said, groaning and nestling himself between her spread legs. "Do you feel that, my love? This is what you do to me." He ground himself against her, withdrawing his fingers from her mouth and kneading her breasts in both hands.

"Craney..."

"_'Craney' _isn't here right now," Scarecrow gave her a dark, wicked look and grinned. Jester gasped at the change in his voice. It was dual like before, signaling the return of Jonathan's darker half. "Oh yes, darling. I'm back," he purred.

"Fuck," Jester hissed.

"Don't worry, Jonathan's here. We are one at the moment, my littlest clown. Now _relax_ and let us please you." He slipped his fingers back inside of her and moaned, the sound turning Jester on despite her trepidation. "Oh, so wet for us," he cooed. "Stay still, gorgeous, and keep your hands to yourself."

He licked his lips, pumping his fingers inside of her, slipping a third in when she moaned and lowering his head to nip at her jaw. "I want to feel you cum for me. Can you do that?"

Jester nodded, locking eyes with him as he worked her over with his long, slender, talented fingers.

"Shhhh," Scarecrow shot her a warning look with his glowing orange eyes and Jester bit her lip to keep from cussing out loud. "I only want you to scream when I give you permission to, darling."

Jester screwed her eyes shut and bit her lip so hard she split it, not caring in the slightest about the blood that dribbled down her chin as a result. She was on the edge, so close to cumming, and kept as still and quiet as she possibly could. A scream lodged itself in her throat when his thumb found her clit and rubbed light circles against it. She swallowed down her scream, whining quietly.

Scarecrow gripped her face roughly in his free hand, forcing her eyes to pop open and meet his. "Look at me when you cum for me, my sweet Jester. I can feel your muscles clamping down on my fingers, I know you're close."

She nodded frantically, maintaining eye contact with him and pursing her lips together so she wouldn't make any noise. Just as her legs began to quake and her stomach tightened, Scarecrow picked up the pace and drove his fingers deeper inside her, his orange eyes burning into hers. "That's it, right there." He swiped his thumb over her clit once more and chuckled when she whined, leaning down until his face was an inch from hers. He grinned wickedly at her and whispered: "scream for me, gorgeous."

Jester threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her, screaming his name as she came undone again for him.

"I must say," he made a show of slipping his fingers out of her and licking them clean one by one, watching her as he did it. "Your screams are my _favorite_."

"Scarecrow... I need -"

"You need _me_? Or Jonathan? Or..." he shot her a coy look, "_both_ of us?"

"Both," Jester surprised herself with her answer, biting her lip and sucking at the blood that still leaked from it as she looked into his molten eyes.

He smirked at her, lowering his head and kissing his way from her lower stomach to her throat. "Beg us, Jester. Beg us for it. We need to hear the desperation in your voice – We need you to need us as badly as we've needed you."

"Please," her voice cracked and she whimpered, digging her nails into his back. "I fucking need you so bad, I need you inside me. I need to feel you – I need to know what it's like to be filled up by you."

"Very good, but not quite there."

She felt his erection through his boxers and moaned, grinding herself against it. "Please," she begged desperately, her husky voice sending a shiver down his spine.

Scarecrow wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and the other around her waist, pulling her closer to him and kissing her hungrily. He sucked at her lower lip and slipped his tongue into her mouth when she moaned, caressing her tongue with his. He wrapped her legs around his waist and stood up with her, not breaking their kiss as he pushed his boxers down his legs. He stepped out of them and lined himself up at her entrance. "Are you _certain_ that you need us?" He whispered in her ear, holding her up with a firm grip on her ass.

"Yes, please give it to me!" Jester whined, letting her head fall back as he teased her opening with the tip of his cock, rubbing it up and down her wet slit and tapping it against her sensitive clit.

"Since you asked me so nicely," Scarecrow thrust himself deep inside her until he was buried to the hilt, both of them moaning loudly at the contact.

She moaned loudly as he kissed, licked, and nipped at her throat, pulling out slowly and impaling her once more before picking up speed and finding a rhythm inside her. "How does it feel, my love?" Scarecrow nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck as he fucked her standing up, meeting her moans, curses, and groans with his own quieter ones.

"So full," she murmured, her voice laced with desire. "So full and so _good_."

"You're so tight, darling. So tight and so _wet_. I want to empty myself inside of you, my love. Will you let me?" He moved across the room, laying her down on the bed and crawling on top of her. He looked her in the eye and she noticed that the orange had receded a little, both of his eyes equal parts sky blue and orange. Scarecrow hadn't lied – Jonathan was still there, still with her.

"Yes," she breathed, swallowing hard. "I want you to fill me up. I want to feel it."

"I was hoping you'd say that," he gave her a wicked grin and slowly reentered her, pressing his lips to hers as he buried himself as deep as he could go inside her. He fucked her slowly, every stroke deep and deliberate, tracing feather-light circles over her clit now and then to build her back up.

Jester took a good, long look at his body as he made love to her, tracing her fingers over the lines and dips of his toned, defined muscles. He was thin for his height but he was well built and very attractive. She noticed a curve in his cock as she watched him piston in and out of her, unsure if it was the curve or his skill that had him hitting her g-spot with every thrust. She was building up to another orgasm very quickly, incredibly aroused by this new dual persona and the voice that accompanied it.

"Scarecrow, I'm – I'm gonna -"

"We know you are. Let it go – we want to feel it." Scarecrow slammed inside of her, assaulting her g-spot once more and she shattered with another loud, piercing scream. Her scream spurred Scarecrow on and he fucked her harder, faster, feeling himself building up to his release.

"Again," Jester begged, bringing her mouth to his and kissing him. Their tongues battled for dominance, caressing and stroking each others. They moaned into each others' mouths as they both peaked.

"Darling," Scarecrow moaned into her ear, nipping at her ear lobe. "Cum again for me – for Jonathan. Cum all over my cock, I want to feel your pussy clamp down on me again."

"Oh _fuck_!" Jester dragged her nails down his back and he hissed, spurring him on. "Again! Say it again!"

Jonathan grit his teeth, fighting his orgasm back as he pushed her towards her own. He let Scarecrow guide him, speaking for him to give Jester what she asked for. "Be a good girl and cum for me, my love." The harsh, clipped tone had Jester's legs quaking once more and she nearly passed out from the intensity of the orgasm that crashed through her. His release followed hers and he spilled himself deep inside her, hitting her g-spot one last time and causing her to orgasm again from the sensation as he moaned and panted in her ear.

"Oh my fucking god," Jester croaked, nipping at his throat and shoulder when he collapsed on top of her, sweating and gasping for air.

Jonathan said nothing, only pressing soft, light kisses to her throat, face and collarbone.

"So, how does it feel to finally have everything you wanted?" She grinned at him, threading her fingers through his hair.

He laughed breathlessly, pressing another soft, long kiss to her lips. "Like Heaven, darling."

"So... God, this sounds weird even in my head – did you _both _just fuck me?" Jester blushed a little, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. "Yes," he confirmed. "It looks as though we've found a way to _coexist_. There's something else you should know about him. Do you remember Penguin?"

"Never knew him personally, but yeah... I know about him." Jester raised an eyebrow at him, wondering where this was going.

"I don't know how, but... well, he forced Scarecrow out once – in his _true_ form. What I mean, my littlest clown is that Scarecrow took over completely and transformed my body. I don't know how it happened or how I changed back, and I don't know what I did while I was _him, _but I always thought I had imagined the whole thing. Apparently, that is not the case."

"...What?"

"I know," he let his head drop, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I know how that sounds, which I assume is the precise reason why I chalked the entire thing up as a nightmare or a false memory, but it happened."

"Penguin was a piece of shit, so I believe it," Jester stroked the back of his neck with her fingers, pressing a kiss to his temple.

"Are you alright?"

Jester chuckled. "Craney, you should be more concerned about yourself. I'm fine."

"We crossed the line, you and I. There's no going back. You're certain that you wanted this?" He lifted his head to look at her and she noticed his eyes were completely blue, not even a sliver of orange remained.

"Yes, Craney. I'm sure. I don't regret a thing."

"What about Joker?"

"He _wanted_ us to do this, remember? Sure, he's the love of my life and the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with, but I love _you_ too... just not as intensely if that makes sense."

"Ah, of course. You love me, but you aren't _in love _with me. I knew that much, darling," to Jester's relief, Jonathan was smiling genuinely at her. "You're aware that I'm _in love_ with you, though, aren't you?"

"I am," Jester whispered. "It seems as though both of you are," she tapped his forehead.

Jonathan chuckled. "Yes, I believe he's very much in love with you. I told you he wanted to do terrible things to you – I didn't know he only wanted to do them if you _liked _them. It looks like you're the one person he does not want to torture on this godforsaken planet."

Jester laughed, shaking her head. "I guess that's good to know, huh?"

"You'll be the one to hold his leash when I lose control of him," Jonathan whispered, giving her a stern look. "Keep that in mind. Now that we've... _melded, _he will be coming forward and taking control as he pleases."

"I wonder how he and J will get along," Jester bit her lip to try and stop the grin that was spreading across her face.

"If Joker is willing to share you with me, even going so far as pushing us together, I think they'll get along just fine. All three of us want the same thing – your happiness."

"You're always such a sweetheart," Jester purred, pressing a quick kiss to his mouth. "Come to the study with me? I need a smoke and a stiff drink. You and Scarecrow have worn me the fuck out in the most excellent way."

Jonathan laughed, standing up and sweeping her into his arms. "I highly doubt you can walk, littlest clown," he joked. "Think anyone will see us?"

"We should probably at least put our underwear on," she giggled as he set her down, plucking her panties and bra up off the floor and slipping them back on as he slipped back into his boxers.

"Oh no, my legs," she pretended to wobble and smirked when he made his way back to her and picked her back up.

"You're a horrible liar," he whispered, kissing her hard before pulling away and making his way out of the bedroom with her.

* * *

Jester and Jonathan made their way down to the first floor and were just about to reach the study when a wolf whistle stopped Jonathan in his tracks.

"Well, if J didn't wanna kill you before, he sure as shit will now," Double-Tap was leaning against the wall, a Cheshire Cat-like grin stretched across his face and an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"What are you even doing here, Tappy?" Jester rolled her eyes and waved him off with the hand that wasn't draped around Jonathan's shoulders. She noticed Jonathan giving Double-Tap a murderous look as he followed them into the office and smirked. Disdain was rolling off of Jonathan in waves. She let him settle her into J's leather chair and he plopped into the one across the desk from her as Double-Tap happily settled himself down on the couch to the side, lighting up his smoke.

"Not that it's any of your business, but J _wanted_ us to do this," Jester said arrogantly, lifting her legs and resting them on top of the desk, crossing them at the ankles. She busied herself making drinks for herself and Jonathan, humming happily as she lit up her cigarette and took a deep drag.

"What?" Double-Tap craned his neck, catching Jester's eye.

"You heard me." Jester challenged him to argue with a hard, stern glare and was surprised when he just laughed. "Your snitching backfired on you."

"So J's still sharin' broads, huh? When's my turn?"

Alarms went off in Jester's head when she saw Jonathan's eyes turn bright orange in an instant, just before a loud, demonic, blood-curdling roar erupted from Scarecrow's throat. "Oh shit," she breathed, quickly scrambling to her feet and coming to stand in front of Scarecrow. "It's alright, Scarecrow. He's just being a douche. It's okay!" She grabbed his face in both hands and forced him to look down at her, smiling up at him. "Hey there, naughty boy," she purred. "How about I sit in your lap and we have a drink, hmm?"

"What the fuck was _that?" _Double-Tap, despite all the shit he talked all day, looked as if he'd seen a ghost. All the color had drained from his face and he was rigid on the couch as if he was afraid to move, let alone breathe.

"It's a long story," Jester replied, casting him a dirty look over her shoulder. "Mind your fucking tongue around him."

"Or I will _**rip it out of your head!**_" The demonic scream ripped through the room and Double-Tap visibly shuddered as Scarecrow glared at him with those molten eyes. He took a huge drag from his smoke as if it would help calm his nerves, avoiding Scarecrow's eyes.

The door to the study burst open, nearly ripping off the hinges, and everyone's eyes shot to the doorway. Bane, Ruiz, Harley, Catwoman, and even Ivy stood at the entrance to the office, all of their eyes bulging out of their heads as they landed on Scarecrow and Jester. Jester blushed, realizing she and Scarecrow were only in their skivvies and she wasn't sure whether their shocked looks were from that or from the burning orange in Scarecrow's eyes that had spread to the corners.

She chuckled nervously, waving weakly at her friends with one hand while the other gripped Scarecrow's arm tightly, trying to keep his rage at bay. "Hey guys," she croaked.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

****WARNING: **I told y'all there would be more smut. Here it is. Enjoy, or don't – I know everyone's got their preferences. Either way, this is a good preview into what things will be like from now on.******

* * *

"So it's true," Ivy muttered, breezing into the office and coming right up to Scarecrow. "The Scarebeast is real."

"My name is Scarecrow, _weed_." Scarecrow glared down at the green woman and scowled.

She laughed airily. "I heard you have quite the temper... Penguin always boasted about bringing out the devil in you. I didn't realize he meant an entirely separate entity."

"THAT is what Penguin always bragged about?" Catwoman pointed at Scarecrow, motioning with her finger towards his glowing eyes.

"I suppose so," Ivy answered, examining Scarecrow where he stood.

"_Mortifera_? Are you alright?" Bane looked a little concerned, slowly approaching the two of them.

Scarecrow didn't like this, going rigid and snarling the closer that Bane got. He wrapped his arms around Jester and she realized he was trying to cover her from the other mens' eyes in an attempt to preserve her modesty.

Ruiz excused himself from the shit show as both babies began screaming upstairs, more than likely startled from all the commotion. He looked relieved to be leaving the room and creating distance between himself and the tall, lean man with demon eyes.

"Oh," she murmured, blushing and biting her bottom lip. "Ivy, do you think your vines can grab my robe for me?"

"Of course," Ivy purred, stroking Jester's cheek with the back of her hand. "I see you and our dear Crane have done what Joker wanted."

"How the hell did you know about that?" Jester was incredulous, slowly taking her robe from the vine that brought it to her and slipping it on, making sure to tie it closed.

"The flora, darling," Ivy chuckled, threading her fingers through Jester's hair. "You are glowing, Jester. Having both men will do wonders for you... or should I say _three_ men?" She glanced back at Scarecrow whose orange eyes were slowly fading.

"Do that again," Harley walked up to Scarecrow and got dangerously close, standing up on her tip-toes as she peered into his eyes. "I used to treat Pengy. He told me about the Scarebeast but I never believed him – he spouted a lotta bullshit."

"_Harleen_," the beast growled, gently gripping her shoulders, "a little breathing room, please."

"Jesus," Catwoman shuddered, rubbing her arms roughly. "I don't think that's something I'll ever get used to."

Scarecrow laughed, the sound reverberating in the room and making everyone but Jester and Harley uneasy. "That's a shame, kitten," he murmured, locking eyes with Catwoman, "I am here to stay. You will be seeing a lot of me."

"What was that noise we all heard?" Bane raised an eyebrow at Scarecrow, rooted to the spot he stopped at when Scarecrow had warned him away from Jester. "Was that you?"

Scarecrow nodded slowly, cocking his head at Bane. "You... you are good to her," he wrapped a protective arm around Jester, pulling her close. "You're the one that reminds her of her father."

"What the fuck?" Jester whispered, her head snapping up to look at him.

He chuckled. "Oh, darling, I know many things. I _do_ see more than just a person's fears."

She glanced sheepishly at Bane who simply grinned at her. "I take that as a compliment! Do not be embarrassed."

"So, uh... this gives that '_El Demonio' _nickname a whole new meaning," Double-Tap chimed in, sitting upright on the couch.

Harley cackled and plopped down next to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "Does he make ya nervous, Tappy?"

Double-Tap glared at her, not saying a word.

Jester laughed, letting Scarecrow pull her down into his lap in his seat. They both took a healthy swig of their drinks and Scarecrow pulled Jester's hand closer to his mouth, stealing a drag of her cigarette much to everyone's collective surprise.

"Yes, stare at the demon for taking a drag off of a smoke, not because of his voice or glowing eyeballs," he drawled. Jester was certain that if he could, he'd roll his eyes, and she giggled at the thought.

"J wanted Craney and me to, uh... wow, this is fucking awkward with all of you staring at me like that." She cleared her throat, waiting for everyone to seat themselves and quit staring at her like she had three heads. "Thanks. Uh... well, I guess J had a talk with Craney about me and their mutual love for me and J decided he wants Craney and I to be together like he and I are, if that makes sense?"

"Allow me," Ivy winked at her and blew her a kiss. "Joker had a close call yesterday and decided he wants Jester and Crane to have a relationship outside of his own with her in the event that he dies."

"Looks like you guys are making the most of it." Catwoman grinned wickedly at Jester.

Scarecrow, still at the forefront and in control, purred at that and nipped at Jester's throat, wrapping his arm tight around her waist.

"So Joker is going to share you with Crane and..." Bane looked at Scarecrow, trying to find the right words, "_El Demonio? _If he," he motioned towards Scarecrow, "is territorial of you the way Joker is, how will this work?"

"We know the Clown has first claim on her," Scarecrow's dual voice drowned out all the other noise in the room. "We will not challenge the Clown for Jester – she is as much ours as she is his."

"It's about damn time! I mean the sex, ya know? The kissin' was cute and all but I was waitin' for you two to rumple the sheets!" Harley quipped.

Ivy was lazily swinging from a hammock she had manipulated her vines into. "I think it's sweet. There has always been this love between the two of you that just seemed... _right_. Besides, open relationships seem to be a trend these days."

Bane grinned from ear to ear, clapping his hands together. "Does this mean another baby? You have more Godparents than babies to give them, _Mortifera_."

Jester's eyes nearly popped out of her head and she made a strangled noise, quickly lighting up another cigarette and sloshing some whiskey into her tumbler, pounding it down in a second. "Oh God," she groaned, covering her eyes with one hand.

"Relax," Scarecrow purred, nuzzling her neck.

Jester breathed a sigh of relief, pouring another drink and taking only a sip before shooting him an apologetic look over her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm not upset for the reasons you think, I just really -"

"Don't want any more children, we know." Scarecrow chuckled and pulled her back against him, shifting her in his lap so she was draped sideways over him and comfortably nestled in his arms.

"Awwww man!" Harley stomped her foot on the floor and crossed her arms, pouting childishly. "I wanna see more Jestah babies! They're just so dang cute!"

"Harls, there's only one." Catwoman laughed, reaching over Double-Tap and patting Harley's knee.

"I know, but he's the _cutest_!" Harley sighed dramatically, glancing at Jester. "Can ya clone him or somethin'?"

Jester laughed, raising an eyebrow at Harley. "You can have your own, ya know," she winked at her and laughed when it dawned on Harley and her face lit up.

"You're right!" She hollered, dancing excitedly on the couch where she sat. Double-Tap was thoroughly annoyed by her which only spurred her on and everyone laughed.

"Speaking of that," Catwoman pointed to the ceiling. "They're awful quiet. Think Ruiz got them back to sleep?"

"I'm sure he did," Jester confirmed. "He's excellent with them."

"I want to hold him," Scarecrow's dual voice drew her attention and she whipped her head around, shocked at his statement.

"You wanna hold Ruiz?" She jested, poking him playfully in the chest.

"You know what I mean, my love," he scolded. "May I?"

"Can I trust you, Scarecrow?" She whispered it, careful not to let everyone else overhear her. This was something she needed to handle without any outside interference.

"I will not hurt the child," he insisted. "I am curious. Jonathan loves the child almost as much as he loves you, I'd like to see him for myself."

Jester paused for a few moments, shoving away her thoughts and paying more attention to what her intuition was telling her. She didn't have any bad feelings, no fear or paranoia crept into her heart, and she didn't have that awful pit in her stomach that was always a sure-fire sign that something terrible was about to happen. She felt fine – she felt calm.

"You are an incredibly intelligent woman," Scarecrow whispered to her, giving her a knowing look. "Your intuition is your best weapon and defense – never doubt it."

Jester was amazed – Scarecrow seemed to see right through her, or read her mind. She had never said a word to anyone about Bane reminding her of her father, and there was no way for him to tell that she was listening to her intuition, but Scarecrow knew.

As if on cue, Ruiz entered the room with a baby in each arm, both of them half-asleep and in clean onesies. "Someone wanted to see his mama, and another someone was not about to stay upstairs by herself." He stopped just before the desk, eyeing Scarecrow warily.

"Its okay," Jester reached out for Ace and smiled reassuringly at Ruiz. "He's fine."

Ruiz nodded and let Jester take Ace from him and made his way over to Bane, handing Reina to him.

Scarecrow peered over Jester's shoulder at Ace and Ace looked right back at him, no fear whatsoever in his pale blue eyes. He looked intrigued by Scarecrow and his glowing orange eyes, slowly reaching a hand out towards his face. Jester brought Ace up to her shoulder, holding him with one arm and watching as Scarecrow let Ace touch his cheek. The entire room was dead silent as everyone watched Ace interact with the demonic entity that lived inside of their longtime friend.

"No fear," Scarecrow's dual voice came out in a growl and Jester's eyes darted to Ace's face to see if the sound had scared him, but to everyone's shock, Ace giggled. "May I?" Scarecrow shifted behind her so he was facing opposite her, holding his arms out for Ace. Jester nodded, carefully placing Ace in Scarecrow's arms and smiling when he cradled Ace securely in both arms, looking down at him with childlike wonder. "No fear at all... you truly are your mother's son, little Ace."

Ace belly laughed, reaching up towards Scarecrow's face. Scarecrow lowered his head and let Ace squeeze his cheeks in his chubby little palms, as fascinated by Ace as Ace was by him.

"I feel like I'm watching the Discovery Channel," Double-Tap murmured, his eyes wide as saucers. "This is fucking nuts."

"Welcome to our house," Catwoman said coolly, winking at him. "Can you imagine if the boys were here right now?"

Jester chuckled, shaking her head.

"Ah, that's a good point, Selina," Ivy said, running a hand through her gorgeous, vibrant red hair. "How will we explain this to them?"

"Joker knows," Scarecrow supplied casually. "He was there."

"There?" Catwoman raised an eyebrow at him.

"When Penguin forced me out of this... _shell_." Scarecrow cocked his head to the side, his orange gaze settling on Catwoman. "Jonathan is mortal, I am not. I am not of this earth... this is not _my_ skin."

"Holy shit," Harley murmured. "Well, whaddya really look like then?"

"Are you certain you want to see?" Scarecrow's mouth split into a wide grin and Jester shivered, not sure what to expect. "Jonathan is not capable of freeing me... I must do it myself. I will show you." He leaned forward, careful not to squish Ace, and kissed Jester deeply for a moment before passing Ace back to her. He slipped out of the chair, careful not to dump Jester and Ace from it as he moved, and stretched as he stood up. He eyed the ceiling, calculating how high it was, and he smirked. "Cover the children's' eyes," he warned, eyeing Jester and then Ruiz. "I am not certain how they will react."

"What the fuck is about to happen?" Double-Tap hissed, clutching his gun in his holster.

"That will not save you," Scarecrow laughed, cocking his head at Double-Tap. "Not in my true form."

"This is exciting," Ivy muttered, watching curiously as Scarecrow moved to the center of the room, giving himself adequate space.

"_Mortifera_... you're alright with this?"

Jester met Bane's eyes and nodded firmly. "Absolutely," she said confidently. "I imagine we'd end up seeing it sooner than later."

"You are correct," Scarecrow grinned at her. "Listen to me, my love – do not panic as I transform. It is not painful, it only looks and sounds like it. Jonathan will be fine."

Jester nodded dumbly, keeping her eyes glued to him as the sound of breaking bones and popping joints began filling the room.

Scarecrow's hands began turning a burnt reddish-black color, his fingers stretching into what looked like long, bony claws. The change in his skin color started to spread up his arms and to his face, his flesh tearing apart at his biceps. He didn't flinch even once as he began to grow taller, more muscular, and more inhuman. It was when he let loose a feral sounding snarl that Bane, Catwoman, and Ruiz began to panic a little, not recognizing their friend as he transformed into a creature that resembled something from a horror movie. A black burlap sack covered his head with holes that exposed his glowing orange eyes and mouth. His eyes were just huge, empty glowing orange sockets in his head and his mouth was shaped like a Jack-O-Lanterns with several thick stitches laced throughout it from corner to corner. His tendons, ribs, and joints were all exposed, seeming to tear through his black charred-looking flesh and bright red. An old, ratty, tattered noose hung around his neck, cut off at his chest.

Jester gasped in awe, staring up at the 8-foot tall beast, raking her eyes over his entire form and taking it all in. Every breath he took made his chest and exposed ribs expand and allowed her a glimpse at the embers glowing inside him. She realized that was why Jonathan's skin had felt so hot earlier – this is what lived inside of him. Now that the two were merged, it all made sense.

"No, I will not burn you if I touch you." The dual voice was gone, replaced entirely with the loud, chilling, evil snarl of Scarecrow. There was no trace of Jonathan in this creature – not in its eyes, not in its voice, and certainly not in the burning fire inside of him. He had read her mind again and her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, darling, I _can_." He grinned at her and slowly crept towards her, reaching down and stroking her cheek with a single long clawed finger. His touch was like liquid fire but it didn't burn, instead, it sent a rather pleasant heat through her cheek and she smiled.

"_Ay Dios mio_," Bane blessed himself with his right hand, unaware that Ruiz had done the same thing beside him.

"WOW!" Harley jumped up from the couch and skipped her way over to Scarecrow, tilting her head to the side as she regarded him. "Can I touch ya?"

Scarecrow laughed and Catwoman, Ruiz, and Double-Tap shuddered violently. "If you insist."

Harley pressed her fingertip to his abdomen, holding it there for a minute until she realized he simply wouldn't burn her. "That's pretty neat," she mused, giving him a lopsided grin. "Thanks!"

"So that's what Penguin unleashed," Poison Ivy murmured, studying the creature in front of her. "How?"

Scarecrow turned to face her. "Invoking my rage," he explained calmly. "That deformed midget with the phony accent was a thorn in my side for ages. He thought he could control me, he knew what buttons to press to force me out. He wanted to weaponize me."

"He thought he could force you into doing his bidding?" Catwoman didn't seem surprised by that. She knew Penguin well – the guy was a narcissist.

"Not quite," Scarecrow negated. "In this form, I can exude my fear toxin from my body. I do not need a briefcase, syringes, or bombs like Jonathan. I can release it from within me at will."

"Jesus Christ," Double-Tap gasped. "Please don't."

Scarecrow's head snapped in his direction and his eyes seemed to narrow. "Let this be a warning to you, then. You challenged me repeatedly today – do not make that mistake again."

"What did you do?" Jester's gaze snapped to Double-Tap and he gulped.

"He was being a _pinche cabr__ón,"_ Bane sneered, still covering Reina's eyes. "Insulting _El Demonio."_

"Why does that not surprise me?" Jester rolled her eyes at him. "You know, you can leave anytime. You don't live here."

"But it's so luxurious," Double-Tap purred, shooting her a wink.

Scarecrow snarled at the arrogant hitman, shutting him up instantly. He turned back towards Jester, noticing she was still covering Ace's eyes. She realized what he was looking at and chewed nervously on her bottom lip, slowly uncovering Ace's eyes. Scarecrow stepped cautiously into Ace's line of sight and tilted his head, both of them just staring at each other quietly for a few moments. Once again, Ace surprised them all with a belly laugh, reaching out and kicking excitedly for Scarecrow. Scarecrow leaned down and carefully took Ace from Jester, cradling him against his chest. Ace cooed and pressed his head against Scarecrow's charred chest, gripping at his shoulders with his tiny hands.

"Holy shit," Jester breathed, watching as her son relaxed in Scarecrow's arms, not the least bit fazed by his otherworldly appearance.

"What about Reina?" Harley asked, glancing over towards Bane.

Bane inhaled sharply, quickly removing his giant hand from Reina's face. Reina looked around, kicking a little and bouncing in Bane's lap. Once her big brown eyes settled on Scarecrow, she stopped moving and went completely still, her eyes narrowing at the creature. She shrieked and Bane went to cover her eyes but Harley wagged her finger at him.

"No, look!"

Bane did, looking right into Reina's face and realizing she was smiling. She had shrieked in excitement – not fear.

"Perhaps it is because they are being raised by clowns, a hulking man with a luchador mask, a green woman with vines for skin, and they hear gunfire and fighting from the training rooms and training grounds on a daily basis," Scarecrow grinned wide, wiggling his fingers at Reina in a wave. Reina squealed in excitement, bouncing in Bane's lap. Scarecrow laughed and made his way over, leaning down and offering his arm to Reina, seeing if Bane would allow him to hold her.

Bane handed her over with a smile, confident that Scarecrow wouldn't harm her since Jester trusted him with Ace. Scarecrow held both babies in his arms, grinning at them as they used their chubby little hands to explore his charred skin and bright red, fiery looking tendons and muscles. "Have your fun, little ones," he whispered as low as he could with that voice. "Jonathan is itching to come back. It seems my fun is being cut short."

Jester finished her drink, standing from her chair and stretching. "On that note, I don't know about you guys, but I need some sleep. No club for me tonight."

They all said their goodnights and made their way back to their respective rooms. Double-Tap chose a guest room on the second floor for himself with Jester's permission, promising he'd be on his best behavior after Scarecrow threatened to rip his soul from his body and consume it. Scarecrow stayed in his true form, following Jester to the nursery with both babies in his arms. They had fallen asleep, comforted by the warmth his body emitted, and he carefully set them both down into the crib, watching intently as Jester tucked them both in and kissed them goodnight.

"Would you like to have your dear Doctor back?"

Jester smiled, shrugging off her robe and hanging it up in her closet. "If he'd like to come back, sure. I'm fine either way."

Scarecrow towered over her, cupping the back of her head in his large, clawed hand. "I will give him back to you. I just want to say one thing before I retreat."

"Sure," she breathed, captivated by his glowing eyes.

"I apologize for my initial behavior, littlest clown. I assure you I will not insult you or Jonathan again. I dread the thought of upsetting you. I'm afraid my jealousy got the best of me, it will not happen again."

Jester chuckled. "Interesting choice of words," she murmured, resting her hands on his bare abdomen. "Thank you, Scarecrow."

His bright orange grin seemed to last only a moment longer before he was mutating, slowly shifting back into a very human Jonathan Crane.

"Hello, my love," Jonathan whispered, leaning down and kissing her softly. He pulled her towards the bed with him without breaking their kiss. He picked her up and laid her down gently, crawling on top of her and taking his fill of her. He finally pulled away from her to catch his breath, grinning at her as he rolled onto his back. "Interesting night, isn't it?"

"To say the least," Jester mused, pulling the blankets up over them and draping herself over him. "He likes the babies," she whispered, smiling to herself.

"Indeed," Jonathan agreed, tangling a hand in her hair. "He likes _you_, too."

"I noticed," she teased. "He sure hates Double-Tap's guts."

Jonathan laughed, wrapping his free arm around her and pulling her closer. "He's waiting for the day he can make good on his threat."

Jester laughed and pressed a kiss to his bare chest, stroking his abs with her fingertips. "Something tells me Double-Tap will be on his best behavior for the rest of his life."

Jonathan suddenly rolled over, pinning her underneath him. "What do you say, darling? Do you have one last round in you before we retire?"

Jester bit her lip and moaned quietly as his erection pressed against her belly. She answered by rolling her hips into his and wrapping her legs around him.

Jonathan smirked down at her, using one hand to yank his boxers off. He pulled her panties to the side and trailed a finger up her slit, licking his lips when he felt how wet she was. "My, my," he whispered, positioning himself at her entrance and plunging deep into her until he was buried to the hilt. They both moaned in unison and Jester dug her nails into his back, breaking the skin. "Fuck," Jonathan groaned, slowly thrusting in and out of her, taking it nice and easy this time. "You feel amazing, my love. So tight, so wet... so _good_."

"You can take me whenever you want," she whispered huskily, biting his shoulder. "As many times as you want."

"Oh God," Jonathan hissed, gripping her wrists tightly in his hands and pinning her arms above her head. "Keep talking like that and he will come out of hiding, darling."

"I'm not afraid," Jester purred, looking him right in the eye.

She grinned when she saw that small sliver of orange appear around his irises, knowing she had gotten Scarecrow's attention. "There you are," she cooed. "Now I've got _two_ of my favorite boys to play with."

"Such a naughty little thing," Scarecrow's voice purred. He trailed his tongue along her jaw, nipping at the flesh right under her ear. "We're going to have a lot of fun with you."

* * *

Jester was scared awake by her ringtone, her phone vibrating itself off the nightstand with a call from Joker. She caught her breath, clutching at her chest with one hand while the other flailed around until she grabbed her phone.

Jonathan's arms were wrapped tight around her middle, his naked body pressed against hers. She giggled when she felt his morning wood poking at the back of her thigh, biting her lip to keep herself in check as she answered the phone.

"Good morning," she purred, her voice raspy from sleep and all her screaming the night before.

Joker's laughter was like music to her ears and she grinned, reveling in the sound. _"Oh baby, you did it didn't ya?" _

"We did," she rasped. "You were right, I liked it."

"_Liked it? That's it? I was expecting more..."_ His tone was husky and she was instantly wet, clamping her thighs together.

"Alright, alright. I loved it. We went at it pretty hard."

"_How many times did you cum, princess?"_

"I lost count," she said truthfully. "Many, many times." She chewed on her bottom lip, turned on by the growl in Joker's voice.

"_That's what Daddy likes to hear. Is he in bed with you?" _

"Yes," she glanced over her shoulder and was met with blue eyes rimmed with orange. "Both of them."

"_Both?"_

"It turns out Craney and Scarecrow are two separate entities that share the same body and mind," Jester explained, keeping her eyes locked on Jonathan's. He grinned at her, slowly crawling on top of her and pressing wet, open-mouthed kisses all along her throat and chest.

Joker's laugh on the other end of the call grabbed her attention. _"So he finally embraced the beast, eh?" _

"It appears so," Jester hummed, arching her back under Jonathan.

"_Is he fucking you right now?"_ Joker was breathing heavily.

"Not yet," she murmured. "Just playing for now."

"_Does he fuck you as good as Daddy does?"_

"Yes," Jester moaned, turned on by both Joker's arousal and Jonathan's mouth on her.

"_Good," _he purred. _"Daddy likes hearing his princess is being taken care of." _

"Is Daddy taking care of himself?" Jester's tone was low and sultry and Joker groaned.

"_No, baby,"_ he answered. _"I don't do that here... never know when some overzealous jackass is gonna come in here to beat me senseless."_ He giggled at that, amused by his joke.

"Smart," Jester growled. "They better leave you alone unless they want a repeat of yesterday. I was only getting warmed up in the Jungle."

"_Oh, don't I know it," _Joker growled. _"You were magnificent."_

"Oh, fuck, fuck, _fuuuuck_," Jester moaned loudly as Jonathan spread her open and sucked her clit into his mouth, nipping gently at it as he slid two fingers inside her. "_God_!"

Joker gave a low whistle. _"That good, huh? Tell me, baby, what's ol' Craney doin' over there?"_

"He's – he's... oh my fucking god," she cried out when he sucked hard on her clit, bringing her to the edge already. "He's got his mouth – his tongue – _oh_!"

"_Cum for him, baby. Let me hear you do it."_ Joker was whispering to her, knowing just how to push her buttons.

"Jonathan! Ah!" She hissed, biting hard on her bottom lip as she peaked. "So... _close_!"

"_You kinky little thing, getting off on all of this... let Daddy hear you cum, baby. Give Craney what he wants."_ Joker's purr on the other end of the phone pushed her over the edge.

She covered her mouth with one hand, clutching her phone tightly in the other one as she screamed her release, panting hard. Jonathan crawled back up her body, chuckling at her and taking the phone from her hand as she came down.

"Hello, Joker," he drawled, running his free hand through Jester's sex mussed hair.

"_Ha ha haaa,"_ Joker was cackling on the other end, still able to hear Jester's pants and quiet moans in the background. _"I hear you're takin' good care of my princess." _

"As promised," Jonathan said coolly, trailing his fingers teasingly over her hardened nipples. Jester moaned loudly at the contact, arching her back. "She is insatiable."

"_She's a kinky, naughty little thing,"_ Joker growled. _"Always soaking wet, always wanting more. I knew she'd get off on this." _

"She likes it rough," the dual voice was back. One look at Jonathan's eyes confirmed Jester's suspicion – Scarecrow was awake.

"_Scarecrow, old pal! Did ya tell her about your uh... mutant status?" _

"I showed her. I showed them all. The babies are fearless, as it turns out."

"_That's my boy," _Joker crooned proudly, happy to hear that Ace was as fearless as himself and Jester. _"Take care of her, Scarecrow. Take care of both of them for me." _

"You have my word," Scarecrow promised. "Jonathan is quite worried, Joker. Terrified of invoking your wrath one day with this... _situation_."

"_I wouldn't have pushed it if I wasn't sure."_ Joker was serious, all traces of humor gone from his tone. _"She loves you differently than she loves me, and she needs you. I want her to be happy, Scarecrow, so make her happy. We'll figure it all out when I get home. For now, enjoy her and don't break her too badly. Leave something for me to come home to, will ya?" _

Scarecrow laughed with Joker and Jester grinned, breathing a sigh of relief as her fears and concerns were put to rest. She was able to hear Joker perfectly on the other end of the call and her heart swelled at his words. She held her hand out for the phone and Scarecrow handed it over, pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

"I'm back," she cooed."I miss you, baby."

"_I miss you too, little bird. Visit me soon, will ya?" _

"Of course," she promised. "I'll bring the crotch goblin."

Joker burst out laughing on the other end and Jester laughed with him. _"Perfect,"_ he murmured. _"I love you, baby. Get back to Straw Man, I'm sure that demon can't wait to get his claws in ya again." _

"Hey, that reminds me – you've seen him in his true form?" She glanced at Scarecrow and he smirked at her, stroking her bare skin with his fingertips.

"_I have,"_ Joker confirmed. _"Scary shit, huh?"_

Jester giggled. "I thought it was beautiful – in a dark way. Just like us."

Scarecrow growled at that, leaning down and sucking a nipple into his mouth and making her gasp.

"_That's my girl,"_ Joker cooed. _"Go have fun, gorgeous. Text me later." _

"I love you," she murmured, tangling a hand in Scarecrow's hair.

"_I love you,"_ he made loud kissing sounds on the other end and giggled with her before finally ending the call.

Jester tossed the phone away from her and fisted both hands in Scarecrow's hair as he sucked and nipped at her nipples, making her quake underneath him. "They're gonna be raw," she teased, licking her lips.

"You like pain," he growled, his orange eyes darkening with lust. "I'm only giving you what you want."

"Fuck," Jester hissed, bucking when he slammed into her without warning and hit the back of her channel.

"Do you want pain, pleasure, or both?" He was whispering in her ear, holding perfectly still inside of her.

"Both," she panted, digging her nails into his back and pulling him closer.

"Your wish is my command, my love." He slammed into her again and she cried out in pain and pleasure.

"More," she begged, shredding his back with her nails.

Scarecrow cackled wickedly, continuing his brutal thrusts. He bit down on her pulse point, careful not to draw blood. "I would open you up if your blood wouldn't kill me," he snarled, frustrated that he had to be selectively rough with her.

"Oh God," she gasped. "Do it!"

"Hold still, _slut_," he grinned when she licked her lips at his words, wrenching her head to the side with a hard yank to her hair. "If you bleed in my mouth, I will make you pay."

His threat turned her on just as he knew it would and she cussed under her breath, wrapping her legs tight around him. He dragged his tongue along her throat before sinking his teeth into her pulse point hard enough to draw blood, backing off once it began dribbling from the wound. He watched it trail down her throat and pool in the hollow of it, pitch black and thick.

"Beautiful," he moaned, licking his lips. "What I'd give to taste it... I'll have to come up with an antidote so I can see if your blood tastes as sweet as your pussy."

"Dammit, Scarecrow!" She shrieked, clawing at him and digging the heels of her feet into his back. "PLEASE!"

"Oh, did you want me to fuck you, my love? Do you need me?"

"Yes!" She cried.

"Are you desperate? Is it infuriating for you, feeling me so deep inside you and yet unmoving?"

"Please," she begged, biting her lip to try and keep it from trembling.

He slammed into her once more, hard enough to knock her into the headboard. "Is that what you want, you filthy bitch?"

"Keep going!" She bucked against him wildly, yanking hard at his hair.

He laughed, slamming into her once more and into the headboard again. "Beg me for it, love. Beg me for it – for the pain, for the pleasure, for release..."

"Please, Scarecrow – please!"

"Please... what?"

"Fuck me, break me, I don't care! Fuck me until you fill me up, I need it!"

"Goodness," he teased. "Such _language_!"

"Son of a bitch!" She hissed, wrapping her legs tighter around him and bucking her hips against him, making him moan as she fucked him.

"That's what I wanted, you kinky little thing," he snapped, thrusting wildly in and out of her, making sure to cause her pain with each one. "There's that desperation I wanted! Come on, keep going! Scream for me, my littlest clown."

Jester balled her hands into fists, panting and moaning as he fucked her so hard it hurt. She felt her release building up and she gasped when his fingers found her clit, pinching it hard. She screamed, shattering instantly and crying as waves of pleasure racked her body.

"Perfect," Scarecrow snarled, slamming once more into the back of her channel as he went rigid and found his release inside her. "So perfect, so beautiful." He pumped slowly in and out of her as he softened and slowly slipped out, sitting up quickly and checking her for any bleeding. He knew she wanted it hard, he knew she wanted it rough, he knew she wanted a lot of pain but he also knew her history and he didn't want to cause her any real damage. Sighing in relief when he didn't see any, he collapsed on top of her, kissing her fiercely. "God _help_ me – I am hopelessly in love with you."

She was stunned. This wasn't Jonathan saying those words – it was Scarecrow. They sounded so strange spoken in that demonic tone, but they warmed her heart regardless. "Jesus, Scarecrow," she panted, grinning at him. "_That_ good?"

"Are you alright?"

She giggled, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. "I'm fine, baby," she cooed. "You gave me exactly what I wanted. I won't be able to walk for a day or two, but I'm happy as a clam."

"Good," he murmured, pulling her in for another kiss. "Let's get you cleaned up, you naughty little vixen. Joker told me you're kinky, but I must admit – the fantasies and kinks I found in the dark corners of your beautiful mind are downright _depraved_. I look very forward to exploring them all."

Jester giggled and blushed as he swept her up into his arms and carried her off to the bathroom, setting her down carefully on her vanity chair while he ran her a bath. "You are divine," he raked his eyes over her and licked his lips at the black and blue bruises on her thighs, hips, breasts, and throat from his and Jonathan's rough handling of her.

"So are you," she murmured, drinking him in as he did her. "I'm gonna need your help today."

"With?" He busied himself with pouring her favorite Epsom salts and lavender bubble bath into the water, humming as he did.

"I want to go look at the Iceberg Lounge."

He turned to face her, orange eyes boring into hers. "The question is, my love – do you require Jonathan's assistance or mine?"

"You tell me," she offered, relaxing in her chair.

"You will need me," he said with confidence. "If you are possibly going up against Maroni without Joker, Floyd, Tommy, and Johnny, you will need me. You will need all of us. I will accompany you in my true form if you prefer."

"Whatever you're comfortable with, handsome," she cooed, smiling at him.

"I see why Jonathan has been so enamored by you since the night he met you. You're amazing, darling. So amazing. Come here," He scooped her up in his arms and carefully set her down in the tub, only getting in once he was sure she was settled.

He smiled at her, peppering her face and throat with soft, light kisses, caressing her face with his hands and running his fingers through her hair.

Jester was shocked by all the belligerent affection but she took it gladly, reveling in this demon's gentle touch and heartfelt words.

"Can I have you for the day? After all, Jonathan has selfishly spent all these months with you while I was locked away in the dark."

"As long as it's alright with him," Jester whispered, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against the edge of the tub as she relaxed. Between the jets on her back and his kisses and caresses, she was in paradise. His lips pressed against hers and she sighed, threading her fingers through his hair.

"It's fine, my littlest clown," her eyes popped open at the sound of Jonathan's voice and she met his sky blue eyes. "Take the day with him, he deserves it after I forced him into solitude. I'll see you later, beautiful." He kissed her once more and the next time she opened her eyes, she was met with burning orange ones.

"So," Scarecrow mused, smirking at her, "how many people shall we kill today?"

* * *

"Well look who it is," Joker drawled, smirking at Doctor Evans from where he sat comfortably on his cot. She had caught the tail end of his conversation and he chuckled at the scandalized look on her face.

"That phone is contraband," she said coolly. "I don't know how you got it, but I can't allow you to keep it."

"Is that what you came here for? To chastise me about contraband? I'm _hurt_, Elise. It's been quite a few days since I've seen you and so much has happened!" Joker ruffled his disheveled hair, slowly rising from his cot and approaching the door of his Solitary cell, peering down at the short Doctor from his tiny barred window.

"That is why I'm here, Joker," Doctor Evans said calmly, backing away from his cell door. "I came to talk about the riot. Care to explain what happened?"

"Let me out of this little box and we'll talk, Doc," Joker purred, winking at her through the tiny window. "After all, you're too short to reach the window from a close enough distance and doctor/patient confidentiality is _very_ important to me."

"You know I can't do that, Joker. You're in Solitary because you murdered several guards and participated in a riot."

Joker giggled, throwing his head back and letting his hair fall completely out of place. "Participated? You've got it all wrong, Doc." He snapped his head forward and gave her a hard look. "I won't tell you anything else until you let me out of my cage."

"No can do, Joker."

"How are you going to acquire my contraband phone, then?" He laughed loudly, further amused by the chuckles coming from the other cells.

"I'll have the guards procure it," Doctor Evans said confidently, folding her arms.

"Didn't you just say I'm in here because I murdered several guards? You'll have to get it yourself, Elise. I don't think you'd risk sending more guards into this tiny little box with me... especially while I'm not restrained." Joker lifted his hands, showing her he was free of shackles and grinned wickedly at her.

"You will refer to me as Doctor Evans," she insisted, glaring at him from where she stood. "And I will not come inside your cell, nor will I let you out of it."

"Then I guess we don't have anything to talk about, Doc," Joker purposely goaded her. "Thanks for checking up on me – I appreciate the kind gesture."

His sarcasm wasn't lost on her but she refused to let her annoyance show any more than it already had. "It wasn't a kind gesture, Joker. It's my job. Have a nice day."

Joker laughed, waving mockingly at her before she turned to leave. "Don't forget, Elise – you've got another 3 days to accept my offer."

Doctor Evans grit her teeth as a shudder racked her body and she ignored his wicked cackling as it bounced off the walls, turning swiftly on her heel and stalking out of Solitary. She would keep using her sick and vacation days for as long as she could, as long as it meant she wouldn't have to come face to face with the psychotic, charming Clown Prince of Crime for awhile. As far as her superiors knew, she had been sick with the flu – it's not like Blackgate collected Doctor's Notes, after all. She had only come today because the Warden had called her personally and requested her to at least show up and try to get some answers out of the Joker, and that's exactly what she did.

She was happy to finally step out of the main doors of Blackgate, taking a breath of fresh air and relaxing once her nerves settled and the feeling of being watched finally dissipated.


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

***Author's Note: **_As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys rock. Sorry about the delay on this new chapter, I've had a lot going on. _

_I got rear-ended on the highway two days before Thanksgiving and my car was totaled, which was fine because I hated that car but sucked because it was a lease. So here I was with no car, no money for a down payment on a new one and shit credit. Luckily (kind of) I am picking up a car today - my monthly payments will be way higher than what I was paying for my old car but my insurance is a lot cheaper, so I guess it evens out - and the car is one I've wanted so badly for so long. On top of that, work has slowed down due to the weather and I'm barely able to pay my rent, bills, or buy groceries. I'm also battling one hell of a head cold, my anemia, and the third return of my awful ovarian cysts. As a result, I've been pretty stressed out and depressed which has caused my anxiety and paranoia to shoot through the roof. I'm a pretty miserable little shit lately, tbh. I spend most of my days sitting in front of my computer trying to sort out my thoughts so I can get a chapter out and get more frustrated when I fail again and again and just chastise myself for it all day, every day. Writing is not as easy as it would seem but it's the only thing keeping me sane in the shit storm that is my life._

_So, I hope you guys enjoy this one even though it's shorter than usual and a little bit of a filler. Big things coming - it's getting there that's going to be difficult ;)_

* * *

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be," Jester murmured, standing in the center of the lounge where a gigantic iceberg used to sit. "I was expecting to walk into a fucking shit hole. I can work with this."

Scarecrow smiled at her from his seat in one of the curtained alcoves, watching her as she examined the entire lounge. He was in Jonathan's skin, his pupils bright orange and glowing, dressed in a suit as usual. "What exactly are you planning to do with it?"

Jester grinned, spinning around to face him. "You really wanna know?" She teased him, shooting him a saucy wink.

"I do," he purred, licking his lips at her. They had both come alone today, deciding that Scarecrow shouldn't expose his true form to Gotham City just yet – it made for an excellent secret weapon.

"I'll give ya a hint," Jester supplied, typing on her phone and scrolling furiously until she found what she was looking for. She put on Cher's _'Welcome To Burlesque'_ from the movie Burlesque and chuckled at Scarecrow's raised eyebrows as the music began playing. "Watch me," she commanded, teasingly stripping off her holsters, tactical belt, sweater, jeans and boots as the intro played through.

_"Show a little more_

_Show a little less_

_Add a little smoke_

_Welcome to Burlesque_

_Everything you dream of_

_But never can possess_

_Nothing's what it seems_

_Welcome to Burlesque..."_

Scarecrow's breath hitched when she stood in the center of the room clad in nothing but a lavender colored corset, matching lace panties, and her pointed toe heels that she had slipped back on. She threw her head back and tousled her hair a little to give it a bedhead look. She pulled a chair from the side of the room, giving him a brilliant smile as she began dancing and using it as a prop as the music built up.

"_Oh, everyone is buying_

_Put your money in my hand_

_If you got a little extra_

_Well, give it to the band_

_You may not be guilty_

_But you're ready to confess_

_Tell me what you need_

_Welcome to Burlesque..."_

Scarecrow smirked as Jester slowly and fluidly flipped over the chair, landing gracefully on her feet and dancing seductively yet purposefully to the music as it continued to play. She was pretending she was performing on stage in a costume rather than just her lingerie and that she was trying to captivate a full audience.

"Burlesque, darling?"

"Yes!" Jester grinned, making her way back over to her phone and turning the song off. She strut over to him and plopped herself down in his lap, happy to be off of her feet for the moment. "Whaddya think?"

"Bravo! _Bravo_! That was beautiful!"

The voice came from the second floor and both their heads shot up to the cutoff walkway, both of their eyes bulging out of their heads at what they saw.

"A lovely performance," Victor Zsasz smirked down at them, shooting Jester a wink. "Just like that one at the warehouse when you made your debut _and_ killed me."

"What in Dante's fucking Inferno is happening right now?" Jester cocked her head to the side, taking in Victor Zsasz's appearance. "Am I fucking hallucinating, Scarecrow?"

"No, darling. I'm seeing him too." Scarecrow glared up at Victor Zsasz, carefully shifting Jester out of his lap as he stood up. He stepped in front of her, keeping her out of Victor Zsasz's line of sight. "What do you want, Zsasz?"

"Ouch," Zsasz mocked a pained expression, clutching at his chest with one hand. "Neither of you are going to ask me how this is possible? How I've been? How it felt having a full clip emptied on me in a fit of rage? I'm insulted."

"I killed you," Jester shifted so she was standing beside Scarecrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared up at Zsasz. "So how the fuck are you standing here right now?"

Zsasz grinned, putting up one finger as if motioning for them to wait. He disappeared from sight and Jester took that opportunity to grab her clothes and quickly put them back on along with her guns, holsters and tactical belt.

"This would be a good time for me to change, darling," Scarecrow murmured in her ear, keeping an eye out for Zsasz.

"No, I can handle him," Jester insisted, scanning the lounge carefully. She saw Zsasz's shadow creeping along the main hallway to their right and pulled a gun on him, aiming it right at his head.

"Hey now, don't shoot the messenger!" He chuckled, putting his hands up in surrender. "Don Maroni has requested a meeting with Gotham's self-proclaimed Queen."

"Joker deemed me the Queen. You should know – you were there." Jester snapped, cracking the knuckles of her free hand. "I don't give a fuck what Maroni wants. I want to know how you're alive and how you went from a barbaric nutjob to a well-spoken, intelligent, and seemingly sophisticated _living _person."

"That was a backhanded compliment, wasn't it?" Zsasz came closer, still with his hands up and a Cheshire Cat grin on his face. "I appreciate it, Your Majesty."

"Back off," Scarecrow warned in his dual voice, his orange pupils glowing brighter.

"How interesting," Zsasz mused, tilting his head to the side as he regarded Scarecrow. "Looks like everyone's experienced some changes, huh?"

"Answer my fucking question or I will kill you again," Jester warned, stepping between the two men and pinning Zsasz with her darkening gaze.

Zsasz gave an exasperated sigh and plopped down into a chair, lounging lazily in it as he waited for Jester to take her gun off of him.

She slipped it back into her holster, not taking her dark eyes off of him even for a second. "Speak."

"Look, all I know is that one minute your crazy ass unloaded a clip on me and the next I was alive in some creepy underground lab. Apparently I'm worth more alive than I am dead."

"Yeah, I'm gonna need details," Jester sat down in a chair opposite Zsasz, leaning forward with her hands folded together between her knees. Scarecrow moved to stand behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder to remind her he was right there, ready and willing to put Zsasz down for good if things went south.

"You're a real buzzkill, you know that?" Zsasz shook his head at her and smirked, crossing one leg over the other. "Do you know who Hugo Strange is?"

"Are you fucking joking?" Jester scowled, raking a hand through her plum locks in her frustration. "That jagoff is still on the loose?"

Zsasz barked a laugh at that, seeming completely comfortable and at ease despite how tense and hostile both Jester and Scarecrow had been towards him since he showed up. "He is," Zsasz confirmed. "Just be thankful he isn't working at Arkham anymore."

"What the fuck good does that do any of us? Arkham is in the process of being rebuilt right now and even if it wasn't, none of us would be there right now." Jester groaned and leaned back in her chair, shaking her head.

"Strange brought you back to life?" Scarecrow couldn't help his curiosity. After all, he and Jonathan shared a mind.

"I had a feeling that would interest you, _Doctor Crane_," Zsasz purred. "I don't know how he did it, I just know it was painful. Kinda makes me feel bad for Frankenstein."

"So let me get this straight. I killed you, even spit on your corpse, Strange brought you back to life, you're here as a messenger for Maroni – of _all_ fucking people – and you're acting like we're all BFF's simply catching up over coffee?"

Zsasz frowned, leaning forward in his seat and eyeing Jester closely. "You spit on me?"

"Sure did," Jester was unapologetic, meeting his eyes and keeping a serious expression. "I'd do it again, too."

"What did I ever do to you?" Zsasz raised an eyebrow at her and seemed genuinely curious, blowing Jester's mind for a moment.

"It's what you did to other people, Zsasz. It's what you did to women and children."

"Oh, I see. So all the things you've done are different?"

Jester pursed her lips, glaring at Zsasz as he grinned at her. "I don't kill innocents."

"Is anyone _truly_ innocent, Jester?" Zsasz's eyes lit up as he spoke, annoying Jester even more as he subtly challenged her.

"Tell Sal that a meeting isn't necessary. Joker's mark is on the outside of the lounge and it is mine to do as I please with. That fat fuck doesn't have any kind of claim on the lounge and I don't negotiate." Jester stood up and glared at Zsasz, putting up one finger in warning. "If he makes a move on this lounge, I will perceive it as an act of war, and he _will_ lose."

"You know, Jester," Zsasz gave her an amused look, reaching out and taking her hand in his. He ignored the way she wrinkled her nose in disgust as he kissed the back of it and shot her a wink. "It's good to see your fiery little self again."

"Get out," Jester spat, pointing to the main hallway. "Don't let me catch you in here again."

Zsasz stood up and brushed himself off, pouting a little at her. "Not even for opening night? I love burlesque!"

"Out," Scarecrow barked, forcing himself between Jester and Zsasz and glaring at the man. "_Now_."

Zsasz shrugged and made his way towards the hallway, whistling to himself as he sauntered out of the lounge. Just before he was out of earshot he called over his shoulder to them. "I'll see you soon, Queen Bee! You owe me a drink."

Jester scoffed and shook her head, fighting the urge to run her hands down her face so she wouldn't ruin her makeup. "What the _fuck_," she hissed, still trying to process what just happened.

Scarecrow sighed. "Joker needs to know about this."

Jester nodded, letting him lead her down the main hallway and help her to lock up with a set of keys Joker's guys had procured for them when they marked the place weeks before.

* * *

Jester and Scarecrow made a pit stop at the mansion on their way to the Funhouse to pick up Catwoman, Harley, and the babies while Bane and Ruiz took Double-Tap back to the East End where he belonged. After that, Bane and Ruiz were to meet with Officer Santos to get Tommy's interrogation tape from him for Jester to watch.

"Aaaaaaannnnd we're here!" Harley chirped, popping her head between the front seats and grinning wickedly at the ominous, abandoned amusement park sitting on barren, empty grounds an hour outside of the city limits. "Ain't it neat?"

Jester examined the gigantic clown face over the main entrance and the neon green spray paint all over the place dubbing it 'Joker's Funhouse', smirking just a little in her amusement. "It's like something straight out of Silent Hill and I love it," Jester said honestly. She had always been obsessed with dark, macabre, creepy things. Some of her favorite things were dark cabaret, dark carnivals/circuses, creepy clowns, and vintage clown and cabaret/burlesque costumes and makeup. She chuckled quietly, realizing she was now everything she had always been obsessed with since childhood sans the costumes – but with the Iceberg Lounge being hers, that would change very soon.

Scarecrow hummed to himself, holding Ace close to his chest as they walked. Harley had Reina strapped to her in a baby carrier which had Jester laughing hysterically for a solid 20 minutes in the car on the ride here, beyond amused at her fellow murderous clown's appearance. "So we are here to contract these morons to fix up the Iceberg Lounge to your liking and to aid in the breakout?"

"None of them will be doing shit until I vet them myself," Jester confirmed. "I know Joker, Tommy, Johnny and Deadshot spent a lot of time with these guys and have been watching them, but I'm gonna put them through the ringer – test their loyalty and strength."

"I like it," Harley waggled her eyebrows and licked her lips. "I can't wait to see what ya do, especially to those creepo's that used to run with Penguin."

"Oh God, I almost forgot about them," Catwoman groaned, rolling her eyes behind her red goggles. "Can't we just kill them? They make my skin crawl."

"The broad with the poodle is especially creepy," Harley muttered, glancing around as they entered the Funhouse and took in their surroundings. "Always looks like she's got a cactus up her ass."

"Take him, my love," Scarecrow purred in her ear, carefully handing Ace over to her as they stepped out from the main entrance and into what was probably once called a midway. "I'm changing and I want my arms free."

"I don't think it'll be necessary," Jester assured him, cradling Ace in both arms and smiling down at him. "They know who I am, they know better than to try anything."

"I don't trust them, darling," Scarecrow insisted. "Please."

Jester simply nodded at him, grimacing slightly as the sounds of breaking bones and screaming joints filled the air around them. She watched as Scarecrow slowly transformed into the beast from the night before, standing proudly in all of his 8 foot tall demonic glory.

"So much better," the demon purred, stretching his limbs and grinning wide.

"Where are they?" Jester asked aloud, looking around at the seemingly deserted grounds.

"This way," Catwoman supplied, taking the lead and prowling through the empty vendor and game booths. They took a few turns here and there through the empty midway until they approached the end of the park where all the rides were. Jester was amazed at all of the roller coasters, all of the clown and Joker card graffiti everywhere, and especially the dilapidated haunted house building with an eerie, creepy shark-toothed Jester looming over the awning and iron gates blocking off the doorway.

"It's a haunted house themed roller coaster ride," Harley supplied, grinning up at the Jester staring down at them. "The Ha-Ha-Hacienda is close by."

"Ha-Ha-Hacienda?" Jester asked, raising an eyebrow at Harley.

"Joker's little HQ spot here," Catwoman supplied. "Think of it like his safehouse here. It's his place and his only inside this entire park, not to be touched or disturbed by anyone else."

"I see," Jester chuckled, shaking her head. "He's such a fucking weirdo."

"Yes, because _that_ is the only weird thing about the man," Catwoman rolled her eyes and laughed.

Scarecrow stepped forward, approaching the iron gate under the awning and pulling hard. The gate swung open with a loud screech, making Jester grit her teeth. She hated loud noises, that much would never change. She stepped in after Scarecrow, obeying him when he thrust his arm out and refused to let her enter in front of him. She knew he wanted to scour the place first to make sure it was safe for her, he didn't trust anyone here.

Truthfully she was thankful for his decision to lead – the green, eerie glow inside the otherwise pitch black indoor roller coaster ride didn't give off enough light to see as they made their way through the winding hallways. Scarecrow crept quietly through them, opening each set of gigantic double doors along the way and doing his best to avoid making them creak more than necessary. As they got closer to the heart of the large building, Jester could make out the sound of a very familiar song playing. It got louder and louder the further they walked, and she was finally able to pick up the words. A wide grin spread across her face as she recognized it as 'Clown' by Korn, biting back her laughter at the irony of it playing here.

"_Scream at me again, if you like_

_Throw your hate at me, with all your might_

_Hit me 'cause I'm strange, hit me_

_Tell me I'm a pussy and you're harder than me_

_What's with you, boy? Think hard_

_A tattooed body to hide who you are_

_Scared to be honest, be yourself_

_A cowardly man!_

_To come out..." _

The guitar riffs became clear as day as Scarecrow pushed open a final set of large, heavy wooden doors and Jester was nearly blinded by the flashing strobe lights and neon signs as they stepped into the main room that held a wooden roller coaster. The room was crowded with what she assumed were Joker's henchmen – they all had on clown masks or clown makeup and looked like the exact type of riff-raff Joker usually employed to do his bidding. They were barely aware of her, Scarecrow, Catwoman, Harley and the babies, too focused on whatever they were surrounding. The music was loud, blaring over the speakers in the rafters and Jester fought the urge to dance to it. Korn was always one of her favorite bands, and Clown was one of her favorite songs by them. She got distracted for a moment, humming along to it as it continued.

"_Hit me, clown, because I'm not from your town now_

_Hit me, clown_

_Hit me, clown, because I'm not from your town now_

_Hit me, clown_

_Hit me, clown, because I'm not from your town now_

_Hit me, clown_

_Hit me, clown, because I'm not from your town now_

_Hit me, clown_

_Clown, you ain't shit!  
Turn around and get your face split!_

_Clown, you ain't shit!_

_Turn around and get your face split!_

_Clown, you ain't shit!  
Turn around and get your face split!"_

"Jester." Scarecrow's voice snapped her back to reality and she looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowing at the grim expression on his face. "Hand the child to the cat."

She did without question, knowing Scarecrow must've sensed or seen something that either required her attention or her wrath. She was a little apprehensive, wondering what could possibly have raised his hackles, and then she saw it – saw _him_.

Standing in the middle of the crowd was Doctor Brian Mills. He was battered, bleeding, and bruised; swinging wildly and violently at the strange group of what looked like vintage circus clowns surrounding him. A twin pair of them were closing in on him, wicked grins spread across the cracked makeup on their faces, one holding a pair of what looked like rusty scissors and the other holding a crowbar. She spotted the woman Catwoman and Harley had mentioned – a Victorian looking woman with vintage clown makeup and a wig on with a mangy, filthy looking toy poodle at her heels baring its teeth and barking at Doctor Mills.

Jester felt her Darkness creeping up on her and inhaled sharply, drawing a gun from her shoulder holster and aiming it towards the ceiling, firing off one shot to grab everyone's attention. "What the fuck is going on here?!" She shouted, her loud voice booming through the room.

Everyone's heads snapped in her direction and Doctor Mills' jaw dropped in shock, his eyes as wide as saucers. He just stood there, saying nothing, looking like he'd just seen a ghost.

Jester stormed her way through the henchmen, shoving them roughly and ignoring the dirty looks they shot her as she barreled through them on her way to Doctor Mills. "What are you doing here, Brian? What happened to you?" She felt Scarecrow's presence behind her and smirked as Joker's henchmen backed off, terrified of the 8 foot demon that was snarling a loud and clear warning at them.

"Jester?" Doctor Mills' voice was raspy and broken. He reached out and slowly pressed a finger into her shoulder as if trying to see if she was real or some kind of hallucination. He gasped when his finger came in contact with her flesh, recoiling from her like a feral animal would. "You're not real," he hissed accusingly, narrowing his eyes at her. "You're not real. You can't be here. You wouldn't be here. This is a nightmare. It's just a nightmare," he was rambling under his breath, wild-eyed and shaking, slowly making his way back to the cars of the roller coaster. She looked over his shoulder and noticed a ratty, tattered blanket in one of the cars and an old jacket that looked like it had been used as a pillow.

"Brian, I'm real," she spoke slowly, staying where she was and giving him his space. "I'm real and I'm here. Now what are _you_ doing here?"

"I live here," he muttered, climbing carefully into his car and curling into a ball on the floor of it, peeking over the seat to watch her. Jester noticed his hair was longer and shaggier and he was filthy, dressed in old clothes that were torn, ripped, tattered and covered in fresh and old blood stains. He looked like he'd been living here for ages and his behavior certainly mirrored that of a paranoid hostage. "This is my home, you see? This is my bed."

"Holy shit," Catwoman breathed, coming up behind Jester with Ace secure in her arms. Harley was by Scarecrow's side with Reina in the baby carrier on her chest and she gave a low whistle, raising her eyebrows at the sight before her.

"You," Doctor Mills glared at Catwoman and Harley, seeming not to notice the babies or the giant demon looming over Jester's shoulder. He pointed first at Catwoman and then at Harley, furrowing his eyebrows. "You two. I know you two."

Jester pursed her lips and slowly approached the car, crouching low enough to be eye level with him once she was close enough. "Brian," she cooed, careful not to get too close or touch him, "tell me who did this to you."

He crept forward, gripping the sides of the car with white knuckles and giving her a conspiratorial look. "_The ghosts_," he hissed, his eyes darting around the room at all of the henchmen and Penguin's freaks. "The creepy ghosts with the old makeup and the Victorian clothes."

"Is that so?" Jester's eyes flashed with her rage and she took a deep breath, fighting off her Darkness. "They've been beating you? How long, Brian?"

"I don't know," he groaned, looking pained. "I don't know! I don't know how long I've been here, or who they are, or where I am. What day is it? What year is it? _Where am I?_"

Jester sighed and turned around, pinning one henchman with her darkening gaze. "Turn the fucking music off!" She barked, glaring at him for good measure. "_Now_."

He moved quickly, running towards a tiny control room hidden in the shadows. A few moments later, the music stopped and it was silent as the grave in the room. Jester ignored the looks she was getting from all the henchmen – a mixture of surprise, shock, terror, curiosity, anger, and even resentment.

"You're in Joker's Funhouse," Jester whispered, turning her attention back to Doctor Mills. "It's December, it's 2016, and they are apparently Joker's henchmen. I'm here because I need them to do some work for me in the City."

To her utter shock, the Doctor began to cry, crumpling on the floor of his car and burying his head in his hands. "Oh God," he wailed, rocking back and forth and sobbing. "Oh God, oh God, oh God!" He desperately repeated the words over and over like a mantra, as if they'd bring him comfort or wake him up from the nightmare he believed this was.

Jester glanced over her shoulder and saw the concern on Catwoman's face, the confusion on Harley's and the rage on Scarecrow's. She raised her eyebrows at them, unsure of what to do.

"Selina, give Ace to me," she took Ace from Catwoman and gave her a reassuring smile. "I need you and Harley to round these assholes up and bring them to the midway for me. If any of them try anything or step out of line, kill them." She smirked at the henchmen behind her, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Leave Penguin's freaks here, though. I'd like to have a little chat with them once I'm done with the good Doctor."

Without a word, Harley and Catwoman took off with Reina still strapped to Harley's chest, safe and secure and happy as a clam as she accompanied her Aunts back through the dark building with the huge crowd of henchmen in tow.

"Scarecrow, would you mind keeping an eye on our vintage _friends_ here?" Jester shot Scarecrow a wink and he laughed, making the freaks flinch at the sound of it.

"Of course, my love," he purred, running a large, clawed hand through her hair and down her spine affectionately before descending upon the freaks and cornering them far away from Jester and Doctor Mills.

She pulled her phone out and bit her bottom lip in her fury as she scrolled through her contacts and pulled up Joker's burner number, pressing the call button and putting it on speaker as it rang. Normally the sound of his voice would thrill, excite, and soothe her, but all she felt was blind rage when she heard his familiar purr on the other end.

"_A surprise call? Lucky me." _

"You're _very_ lucky," Jester bit out through clenched teeth, placing the phone on the hood of the car Doctor Mills was currently sobbing in so she could stand up and shift Ace in her arms. "_Very_ lucky that you are safe and sound in a Solitary cell in Blackgate, far away from the Funhouse."

There was a long pause and he inhaled sharply. Jester smirked, knowing he knew exactly why she was furious and what exactly she just stumbled across. _"Jester..." _

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up! It's my turn to talk. I'm standing here in this god damn pitch black indoor roller coaster ride, staring down at a broken and bleeding Doctor Mills in a car that looks as though he's been living inside of it for ages. I found him in the center of all of your henchmen – including those fucking Penguin freaks – and they were trying to fuck him up with scissors and a crowbar, for Christ's sake! Care to explain to me what he's doing here and why he's being tortured? Better yet, why don't you tell me _HOW THE FUCK HE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!_"

"_I **told** them not to touch him – all of them! I didn't order or condone that, baby, I promise. I'll deal with them when I get out. I'll fix it." _

"Fix it? _Fix it? _How fucking long has he been here, J? How'd he get here? The poor bastard is traumatized and fucking feral!"

"_Fuck," _Joker hissed and Jester could hear his footsteps as he paced in his cell. _"He showed up at Giggles one night. He was drunk out of his mind, looking to pick a fight with me, and I tried to do the right thing. I swear Jester, I didn't hurt him. I had a chat with him and told Johnny to get him home. The Doctor said he was homeless and didn't have anywhere to go and I didn't know what to do, so I had Johnny bring him to the Funhouse. I figured he'd be alright there." _

"_Alright_? J, he's half fucking dead and crying in a roller coaster car. He's filthy and barely even recognizable anymore. How fucking long has he been here?" Jester threw her head back in her frustration, raking a hand through her hair. "J, you should have told me. Why didn't you fucking tell me?"

"_I was going to. I came home that night and you were already asleep. I went outside to let the dogs out and Tommy came out with me. We had a drink and talked about it and he told me to tell you – I really was going to! It was the night I met with your mother at the warehouse. I didn't want to make you more angry than you already were, so I didn't say anything and told myself I'd talk to you about it once things calmed down..." _

"Tommy or Deadshot could've said something," Doctor Mills spat venomously, glaring at the phone as he peeked at it over the hood of the car. "After they came to interrogate me."

"What?" Jester looked at Doctor Mills who was no longer crying, just peeking over the hood of the car with his hands on the lip of it. He looked like a curious child in a candy store that couldn't reach the counter. "What did you say?"

"_Jesus," _she heard Joker mumble it on the other end of the call and saw red for a second.

"J, you better fucking tell me what he's talking about," she threatened, her voice growing louder the angrier she got.

"_Tommy and Deadshot might've gone to the Funhouse the day after to get information out of him."_

"To _beat_ it out of me," Doctor Mills snarled.

Jester sucked in a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut, silently counting to ten in her head before she lost control. She reminded herself that she had Ace in her arms, the Penguin freaks were trapped in the corner with an 8 foot tall burnt and glowing demon, and she still had to handle 50 or so jackass henchmen after figuring out what to do with the shell of Doctor Mills. "J, we are _far _from done with this discussion. In fact, take a few more weeks to think about how you're going to apologize to the good Doctor and to me when I decide to break you assholes out. All four of you knew about this and never said a word to me, two of you even beating him up. As far as I'm concerned, you guys could use the extra time to think about just how badly you FUCKED UP."

"_Baby, you're angry. I get that. I really do, but... have you forgotten we're on Death Row here? They can try and execute us whenever they want, princess. Don't make any crazy decisions out of anger..." _Joker was smooth-talking her and it sparked her rage. His audacity had no limits.

"You're the master of escaping, aren't you? Figure it the fuck out _Houdini_, and give the other dickheads my regards. If you guys make it back home, just know I don't want any of you anywhere near me. Oh, and Doctor Mills here will be taking up a guest room in the mansion."

She didn't give Joker a chance to respond before hanging up the phone, shoving it into her tactical belt before she gave in to her urge to slam it into the wall and smash it to pieces. She looked down at Doctor Mills and chuckled when she noticed him staring wide-eyed at Ace. Ace giggled, wiggling in her grip and smiling at Doctor Mills.

"He's yours," Doctor Mills breathed, slowly extending a shaking finger towards the happy plum-haired baby. He flinched when Ace wrapped his chubby little fist around his finger, squeezing it tight. "You really were pregnant."

"I was," Jester admitted. "Come on, Brian. Let's get you out of here."

"No!" Doctor Mills shrank back in his car, wrenching his finger out of Ace's grip. "No, no, no. You live with _them, _don't you?"

"They will never, ever touch you again," Jester promised, reaching her free hand out to him. "Come on. I have some shit to handle here and then I'll take you back with us. You can have a nice hot shower, we'll all have dinner, and you can sleep in a bed for once."

"Why are you helping me?" His eyes darted around the room as if he was terrified Penguin's freaks would attack him as soon as he moved.

"Once upon a time you showed me kindness in the form of a banana nut muffin and a damn good coffee," she grinned at him, helping him out of the car and to his feet.

"You saved my life during the riot," he murmured, looking her in the eye. "If anything, I'm indebted to you."

"You're not," Jester insisted, shaking her head. "You're a good person, Doc. You always were. You deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. You don't deserve any of this." She motioned around the room with her free hand. "I can't fix it, take it back, or make it right but I can help you."

"I can't go, Jester," he gave her a pleading look, refusing to move too far from his car. "I heard what you said. They'll get out of Blackgate and they'll come home and kill me. I'd rather stay here."

"Doc," Jester smirked and rested her free hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "_I_ run that god damn house, not Joker. I have the final say in everything. You will be just fine. You will be with me everywhere I go. Besides, Selina and Harley are D.S. and Tommy's other halves and they'll fuck them up if they come home and do anything stupid. Those men are scary, brutal, and savage but they fucking fear our wrath – understand?"

Doctor Mills looked terrified but nodded slightly, chewing nervously on his busted bottom lip. "I won't be there long. I'll find a job and get back on my feet and get out as fast as I can."

Jester giggled, pulling him gently by the arm as she made her way to the dark corner where Scarecrow was keeping Penguin's old cronies. "There's no rush, Doc. You're welcome to stay with us as long as you want. We have another Doctor at the house, anyway. She could use some normal human company, I think." She ignored the puzzled look he shot her and practically dragged him the rest of the way.

As soon as Doctor Mills noticed Scarecrow he shrieked almost comically, falling back on his ass in his shock and scrambling across the floor in a panic. "Holy fuck!" He screeched, clumsily clambering back towards his car. "Oh my God! What the fuck! Holy fuck!"

"Hey!" Jester shuffled over to him and crouched down, ignoring Ace as he tugged harshly at her hair. "I'm sorry, I should've warned you. Do you remember Doctor Crane?"

Doctor Mills clutched at his chest, panting and ghostly pale. He nodded slightly and Jester caught the sweat beading on his forehead in the light, frowning a little as she helped him up once more. "It's a long story, but that's him. That's the real Scarecrow – a demon that lives inside of Scarecrow. I'll explain everything later."

"Something more frightening than you and Joker? Wonderful. Can't wait to move in and be the god damn Addams Family," Doctor Mills begrudgingly followed her and turned bright red when Scarecrow's demonic chuckle floated across the room, amused at the good Doctor's reaction.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Abercrombie model," Scarecrow mused. He cackled and delighted in the fear on Penguin's cronies' expressions, grinning when they all began trembling under his glowing orange gaze.

"You're fucking serious," Doctor Mills hissed, glancing at Jester. "He called me that at Arkham."

Jester laughed, ruffling his dirty, long hair. "Tell me, Doc... have you ever killed someone before?"

Doctor Mills' eyes bulged and he whipped around to face Jester, all the color draining out of his face. "What?"

"Consider this a rite of passage – or training, if you will. You can't live your life terrified of everyone and everything, and that's exactly what you'll be if you don't grab your trauma by the balls and overcome it. The first step is eliminating the source." She pulled her gun out of her ankle holster and motioned with it towards Penguin's goons. "Take it from me, Doc – the best thing I ever did was slit that fucker's throat after years of beatings."

"Jester, that's not how it works. That's not how any of this works. Murder doesn't eliminate trauma or PTSD. Murder doesn't right a wrong." Doctor Mills backed off a little, not wanting anything to do with what she was suggesting.

"Don't give me that psycho babble bullshit, Brian," Jester snapped. "You know better. You and I both know you want this – I bet you stayed awake every single night praying for an opportunity to off these bastards. Here it is. Take it or leave it, but either way they are all going to die."

Scarecrow leered at the group, stopping their attempts to try and run. They were more terrified to be chased down by him than they were of being shot by the good Doctor they had tortured to the brink of insanity over the past few months.

Jester shoved the gun into Doctor Mills' hand, giving him a pointed look. "You do it or I will, and if I do it I'm not using a gun. I'm using these," she pulled her switchblade and garrote from her belt for emphasis, raising an eyebrow at him. "I'll make it slow, loud, and messy."

Scarecrow took Ace from Jester and moved out of the way, giving Doctor Mills a curt nod.

"Jester, please..."

Jester ignored the plea and came closer to Doctor Mills, pulling his arm up and fixing his grip on the gun, aiming it steadily at the woman first. "Look down the barrel and line the shot up – use the sights. That's right, just like that," she was whispering to him, calming him down as he corrected his aim. "A couple of inches higher, Brian. Remember, the bullet's gonna hit right below your mark."

"I can't do this," Doctor Mills' voice shook and Jester gripped his hand in both of hers, keeping it firmly around the gun.

"I'll help you," she assured him, gently rubbing his hands with her thumbs for a moment. She waited for him to relax just slightly before reaching for the trigger and pulling it, keeping his grip firm and his arm straight so the recoil didn't send his hand flying back into his own face. She cackled wickedly as the bullet hit the wretched woman right between the eyes, causing her to to slump to the ground and crumple into a heap, bleeding from the wound in her head. Her eyes were rolled back and her mouth was agape – she was dead as a doornail.

"What the fuck!" Doctor Mills shoved the gun back towards Jester and gagged, doubling over to retch. He emptied his stomach all over the floor, heaving and gasping, and Jester waited patiently for him to finish.

"Get it all out now, Brian. You've got a few more to go."

* * *

"Is he gonna keep doing that?" Catwoman motioned with her thumb towards Doctor Mills. He was violently retching into a trash can, covered in blood and gore with tears streaming down his dirty, bruised face.

Scarecrow stifled a laugh behind a large clawed hand, his orange eyes seemingly glittering with amusement. "The first time is always the worst."

"Especially when it's a spree," Jester added, glancing around them. After forcing Doctor Mills to kill all of Penguin's goons, she had Scarecrow drag him out into the midway with them. She made him point out every single henchman that had abused him during his time here and then lined them up, giving the good Doctor a very hands-on lesson about the different ways of torturing and killing someone. Half the reason was to toughen him up and get vengeance for him, and the other half was to flex on the other henchmen so they would know better than to disobey orders ever again. It was a violent reminder that Joker being locked up in Blackgate didn't mean they were safe or their transgressions would go unnoticed and unpunished.

She took the ratty towel Scarecrow offered her and thanked him quietly, making quick work of cleaning the blood and gore off of her knives and her garrote. They had killed about a dozen of the henchmen at the Funhouse and scared the hell out of the rest, leaving her with about 30 of them to use for the Iceberg Lounge remodel. She didn't need or want them for the breakout, she knew Hammer and the others were there and they were more than enough support for the big plans she made. That is, if she still went through with it – she was still furious at Joker, Tommy, Deadshot and Johnny for the parts they all played in Doctor Mills' current trauma.

Harley was cackling wildly as Doctor Mills continued to vomit up bile, amused at his weak stomach and innocence. "Poor pretty boy can't handle a little killin.'"

"Fuck you, Harley," Doctor Mills rasped from his trash can, lifting his head just enough to give her a dirty look.

"Be careful whatcha wish for, Abercrombie boy," Harley teased, winking at him.

"Come on, Doc," Jester drawled tiredly. "I'm tired and so are the babies. It's nap time."

"Oh, yes! Of course! How rude of me to forget that one must nap after MASS MURDER."

"You're so dramatic," Catwoman smirked at him and kept her distance as he slowly made his way over to them. She wrinkled her nose when the smell of vomit hit her like a ton of bricks and covered Ace's face to try and keep the putrid smell from reaching his nose. "You reek."

"The smell of my vomit is nauseating to you, but mass murder in front of infants is totally fine?" Doctor Mills looked appalled, his eyebrows nearly up to his hairline.

Scarecrow chuckled, making Doctor Mills shudder. "I always knew you weren't cut out for Arkham."

"He's got a point," Jester supplied, glancing back at Doctor Mills as they made their way back to the Range Rover. "This is shit you'd see on a nearly monthly basis at Arkham. You just spent months living in an abandoned amusement park with Victorian circus freaks and Joker's henchmen beating you senseless in the dark on a daily basis, and you can't handle bloodshed?"

"This wouldn't happen at Arkham! Not on a monthly basis," he remembered the breakout and flinched a little, recalling all the loose patients and their frenzied attacks on guards and staff.

Harley snorted. "You weren't there long enough, buddy. Believe me – the crazies always find a way."

"Sometimes I forget you used to be a Doctor," Doctor Mills murmured, taking a good look at the former Doctor Harleen Quinzel. "Him, too." He glanced at Scarecrow and felt a chill run down his spine when Scarecrow grinned at him.

"Which makes you the third Arkham Doctor to succumb to the darkness in our household," Jester chuckled, unlocking the car and taking Ace from Catwoman so she could buckle him into his carseat. "Get in the way back, Doc. The babies sit in the middle."

Doctor Mills looked from Jester to Scarecrow and back, quirking an eyebrow. "Where does the giant creature sit?"

Scarecrow laughed and began transforming back into Jonathan Crane, watching Doctor Mills' horrified reaction with amusement.

"I assume I'm a little more recognizable now," Scarecrow purred, back in Jonathan Crane's form.

Doctor Mills went white as a ghost, his eyes bulging out of his head right before he fainted. His limp body landed gracelessly in the dirt, causing the four adults to burst out laughing.

"Pussies ride in the trunk," Harley taunted his limp form, cackling as she dragged him by the arms towards the back of the SUV. Scarecrow helped her shove him into the trunk and carefully closed it, making sure not to catch any of the good Doctor's fingers or limbs in the door.

"At least he stopped vomiting," Catwoman mused, slipping into the way back with Harley.

Jester laughed, lacing her fingers with Scarecrow's as she drove off from the Funhouse, desperate for a shower and a nap.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm going through a lot of shit lately and I'm not handling it so well and your support and kind words mean the world to me. You guys are the best! xo_

* * *

Later that night after lights out, Frankie let Joker out of his cell, quickly and quietly escorting him through the corridors and stairways of the prison. He took him to the execution chamber, careful not to go through Max or Death Row. He took Joker the back way through the staff entrance, careful not to bring any attention to them as they moved. He had made sure it was a skeleton staff night and that no one would be guarding the corridors and stairways he had taken – after all, Joker wasn't the only prisoner he had let loose tonight.

"I'm impressed, Frankie! I thought you'd break a lot sooner than this. You're _finally_ trying to off me!" Joker chuckled as Frankie opened the foreboding looking door to the execution chamber and ushered him through. "You know, you're supposed to buy me dinner first."

"You asked me to arrange a meeting, so I did," Frankie replied coolly, motioning with his arm for Joker to enter the dreary, dim, cold chamber.

Joker grinned when he saw Deadshot, Tommy, Johnny, Hammer, and the rest of his guys all crammed inside the creepy space, none of them looking happy at all. "Good work, Frankie! Looks like someone's up for a pay raise!" Joker cackled and the sound reverberated off the concrete walls.

"You've got an hour," Frankie muttered, exiting the chamber and hurrying off to tinker with all the security cameras.

"Let's get down to brass tacks," Joker drawled, leaning back against the door with his arms folded. He looked over at Tommy, Deadshot, and Johnny and pursed his lips. "Jester went to the Funhouse today."

"Shit," Deadshot hissed, rubbing the back of his neck. "How bad?"

"She wants us to sit in time out for a few more weeks to think about, and I quote, _'just how badly we fucked up'_. She also mentioned that since I'm a _'master of escaping'_ I should figure out how to get us outta here myself."

"She's going to leave us in here?" Tommy was incredulous, raising his eyebrows at Joker. "She realizes where we are, right? I mean, she was _just_ here."

"All I did was drop the guy off!" Johnny shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Why's she mad at _me_?"

Tommy and Deadshot both glared at him and Johnny glared right back.

"The Doctor was coherent enough to tell her about you two smacking him around," Joker ignored Johnny's outburst and gave Tommy and Deadshot a pointed look. "She's furious."

"Knowing her, she's not just furious about him being there and what we did to him. She's probably even more furious that we went behind her back and kept it from her." Deadshot slid down the wall and sat down, stretching his legs out in front of him. "We broke her trust. That's gonna be a bitch to get back – she's gonna cold-shoulder us to death."

Tommy sullenly nodded his agreement, looking down at his shoes.

"That's not the worst part," Joker raked a hand through his hair and ran his tongue along his grills. "Apparently the Doctor was in bad shape when she found him – Penguin's freaks were coming at him with weapons."

"Fuck me," Tommy hissed, covering his face with his hands. "She's going to fucking kill us."

"Let's hope she got most of it out of her system while she was there today – you know how she is. I'm sure they're all dead." Joker shrugged, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jumpsuit.

"So what now, boss?" Hammer cleared his throat and folded his hands behind his back, careful not to stoke the clown's ire. He was no fool – he'd known Joker for over a decade. He knew Joker's calm, cool demeanor was a farce and that a blind rage was boiling inside of him. He could snap at any moment.

"Now we figure out how we're getting out of here without all the help she contracted for us," Joker said plainly. "She's got a way with the other Rogues. She had an entire army ready to go to get us out of here and trap the Bat Family all at once."

"Damn," Hammer smirked, nodding a little. "I was impressed by her when she came here as it was, but that's even more incredible."

"Who did she have? Maybe we could contact them on the outside and get them to help?" One of Joker's other men piped up, careful to be polite and not to move from where he stood, not wanting to end up on the wrong end of Joker's famous temper.

"No one that will help me," Joker scowled, staring up at the dim lights on the ceiling. "She had Riddler, Two Face, Copperhead, Double-Tap, Mad Hatter, Bane, Ivy, Catwoman, Harley, Scarecrow, and two cops on my payroll that won't be much help without some muscle to back them up."

Hammer gave a low whistle, stroking his chin in thought. "Very impressive. Riddler and Two Face don't work well with anyone."

"Especially not me," Joker agreed.

"Double-Tap?" Deadshot glowered at Joker. "That half-ass wannabe? I'm good on that – I don't need him getting in my way."

Joker chuckled, his eyes dancing with amusement. "He was going to be a distraction, Floyd. No more, no less. He's expendable."

Deadshot shrugged. "Still don't need or want him."

"What if we just call the others? I could call Selina, I'm sure she'd help." Tommy looked expectantly at Joker and Joker barked a laugh, giving Tommy an incredulous look.

"You think she'd come for you with Jester this angry at us? I hate to break it to ya, kid, but those women are fiercely loyal to each other. She won't betray Jester for you. Besides, Selina and Harley were with Jester at the Funhouse today. They saw it all themselves. They're not going to come for us and risk Jester's wrath."

"What's so special about this Doctor?" Hammer asked, leaning back against the wall opposite Joker. "I mean, what's got her so torqued about the situation? Who is he?"

Joker sighed and rolled his eyes. "He was her Doctor during our last little stint in Arkham. If you know anything about Jester, you know she fights for the good guys and the underdogs. He's one of those good guys. In her own words, he's the type that cares about his patients and can turn Arkham around as far as the treatment of patients goes. He was kind to her."

Tommy, Deadshot, and Johnny didn't add anything to that, not wanting to bring up any further details in case it set Joker off. They knew very well how much Joker despised the Doctor and about the fight he and Jester had in Arkham over her two-hour session and breakfast with the man. There wasn't any need to add anything, anyway. Joker's explanation was sufficient enough.

"And you two beat him up?" Hammer leaned forward and looked at Tommy and Deadshot.

"I wouldn't say we beat him up," Tommy defended, scratching the back of his head. "I might've punched him."

"I smacked him _one_ time," Deadshot groaned, annoyed at the entire situation.

"It was enough to catapult her into a rage," Joker reminded them. "We don't have much time left, so let's get this all figured out so we can get outta here, get home and get the lashings over with."

"Oh yeah, let's get right home," Tommy rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Selina is going to claw my fucking eyes out. I think I'd rather stay here at this point."

"Suit yourself," Joker taunted, grinning at him. "Now pay attention, I've got some ideas."

* * *

After getting Doctor Mills situated in a guest room of his own complete with a full bathroom and some clothes she jacked from Tommy's room, Jester met the rest of the group downstairs where they were all waiting to watch Tommy's interrogation tape.

"How's he doing?" Scarecrow asked, a slight smirk turning up the corners of his lips.

Jester rolled her eyes and mimicked shooting herself in the head with her fingers. "I had to threaten him into showering and then drugged him to get him to sleep."

Harley snickered where she sat on the couch.

"What did Santos say?" Jester looked expectantly at Bane and he gave her a warm smile, coming over and patting her affectionately on the head.

"Not much, Mortifera. He and the flirtatious one are still on board for the breakout."

"We are not doing that," Jester snapped, narrowing her eyes. "Those idiots can find their own god damn way out."

Nobody said a word, knowing she was talking out of her ass in her anger.

"Come on, gorgeous," Harley cooed, patting the empty spot on the couch beside her. "We got a movie to watch!"

Jester relented, sagging a little as she made her way over to the couch and plopped down onto it.

Harley grinned and happily draped a thick fleece blanket over herself, Jester, and Catwoman, pulling both women closer to her and snuggling them. Jester and Catwoman allowed it, used to Harley's clingy and affectionate ways by now.

Scarecrow kept a wary eye on Jester from the armchair he sat in, not fooled in the least by her calm appearance. He saw the storm raging in her mind and knew she was waiting for the right time to unleash her wrath.

Bane and Ruiz sat down in the other armchairs, waiting patiently while Jester selected the correct input on the TV to play the DVD.

Jester was still as a statue as she watched the interrogation, barely even cracking a smile at Tommy's jabs and insults. If she wasn't so angry, she would've been cackling and laughing along with her friends as he shut Commissioner Gordon down and ruffled his feathers. However, when she saw Commissioner Gordon yank Tommy out of his seat and threaten him, her calm facade cracked and she growled, leaning forward and narrowing her eyes at the TV.

"Get me my phone," she snapped at no one in particular, bristling as she watched the Commissioner throw his coffee at Tommy. "_Now_."

* * *

Don Maroni and Victor Zsasz sat in a Rolls Royce parked a little ways down the street from the Iceberg Lounge, watching as two dozen or so of Joker's henchmen unloaded tools and materials of all kinds from an 18 wheeler and disappeared inside the Lounge with them.

"She's remodeling already?" Don Maroni chuckled, watching in amusement as some henchmen came back out with old furniture, curtains, and rugs to load back up into the truck.

Victor Zsasz grinned and nodded. "If I know anything about the Queen Bee, it's that she always gets what she wants – _when_ she wants it."

"She told you she doesn't negotiate?" Don Maroni turned to look at Victor.

Victor nodded. "She unloaded a full clip on me in the blink of an eye, spit on my corpse, and had my body thrown into the river. She did it in front of a room full of Rogues that had initially met to discuss her possible demise. It was a power move. She looks cute, but she's just as bad as the Clown."

Don Maroni mulled this over, nodding slightly as he turned his attention back to Joker's men. "A burlesque club, eh?"

Victor Zsasz clapped with glee, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes! Genius, isn't it? Something different, something new! God knows this city could use some excitement."

"I have to admit it's a good idea," Don Maroni conceded. "Strip joints are a dime a dozen here, so are the dive bars, lounges, and clubs. I gotta say, though... Penguin's joint always had a certain flair."

"Sure," Victor agreed, "but that's when Penguin ran it. Black Mask and Falcone ruined it."

"Don Falcone was too old school to run a joint like this. He couldn't keep up with the times. Hell, if the clown hadn't killed him, I would've soon enough. His time was over, everyone knew it."

"He had class," Victor argued, tilting his head. "Good taste, too. The only problem is that this new generation doesn't give a shit about things like that. They don't understand the appeal of the Roaring 20's, which seemed to be Falcone's style."

"Prohibition, flappers, heavy petting, cigars, cabaret..." Don Maroni smirked, his eyes twinkling. "What a time."

"That's why Jester is a genius for this," Victor supplied. "It's the Roaring 20's modernized if you think about it. Cabaret and burlesque aren't so different. Burlesque has this taboo vibe, you know? You've got women in sexy costumes and lingerie, putting on shows in smoky lounges with old-timey music and the booze flows all night long. The appeal is that despite its legality and legitimacy, it still feels forbidden... _naughty_."

"I'd like to meet this little clown," Don Maroni mused, turning the car back on. "What's say we go have a drink at the titty joint?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Victor warned, recalling the orange glow in Scarecrow's eyes and the distinct duality of his voice and growl. "She's never alone, and she's got an arsenal at hand."

"We're just gonna have a drink and a nice little chat, Victor," Don Maroni assured him. "I know better than to piss off the Clown, and if his little woman is just like him, I'd rather not tangle with her either."

"A wise decision," Victor smirked, eager to see how this would all play out.

* * *

"You realize what you've just done, right?" Officer Deckard glanced at his partner from the passenger seat of the undercover car, noticing how calm and content Officer Santos seemed to be.

"Yup," Officer Santos replied coolly, slipping his burner phone back into his pocket.

"She's going to kill her."

"Yup."

"If Commissioner Gordon finds out -"

"He won't find out shit. He's a goner, too."

"This is gonna cause a fucking uprising," Officer Deckard ran a hand through his hair and chewed on his bottom lip nervously. "Everything's gonna go to shit if she does this."

"Not my problem," Officer Santos shrugged, taking a sip of his cold coffee and grimacing. "Listen to me, Daryl. Being in their pocket is a hell of a lot better than fighting against them. If you wanna survive in this godforsaken City, you've gotta make certain alliances. This is the kind of alliance that will keep you alive."

"You better be right, Luis."

Officer Santos scoffed and shot Officer Deckard a dirty look. "Oh, I'm right. I'm gonna tell you this once – and _only_ once – watch your fucking mouth around her. If the Clown doesn't cut your tongue out, she certainly will. You were playing with fire at that meeting. Let me do the talking from now on."

"Whatever you say, Luis," Officer Deckard drawled, feigning nonchalance.

Officer Santos resisted the urge to smack his partner upside the head and focused instead on the Rolls Royce pulling off down the road. "So Victor Zsasz comes back to life to be an errand boy," he mused, following after the car and being careful not to be noticed.

"And a hitman," Officer Deckard added, scoffing.

"Welcome to Gotham City."

* * *

Scarecrow hissed as Jester came out of the nursery, taking in her outfit. She had just put both babies down for the night and they were leaving to head to Giggles. Doctor Davis agreed to look after Doctor Mills while Catwoman and Ivy offered to hang back to look after the babies. Bane and Ruiz were already at the club and Harley was in her room putting the finishing touches on her hair and makeup before she'd meet Scarecrow and Jester in the garage.

Scarecrow couldn't think of a single word to say as he raked his eyes over Jester from head to toe. Her plum locks were curled loosely and teased slightly at the roots to add volume. She donned her usual smokey eye and burgundy lipstick that he always loved, but it was her choice of outfit that left him speechless with his mouth hanging slightly open. She wore a purple, black and white strapless tuxedo corset with matching black nylon tuxedo shorts that barely covered her ass. Underneath her shorts, she wore fishnet stockings that went all the way to her feet, covered by black knee-high stiletto boots. To complete the look she wore a little black and white bow tie around her neck, sitting pretty just above her many necklaces.

"Whaddya think?" She grinned wolfishly at him.

"Put on a pair of bunny ears and you'd give Hugh Hefner a heart attack," Scarecrow growled, the orange in his irises spreading to the corners of his eyes.

"That good, huh?" Jester winked at him and took her turn raking her eyes over him, smirking at his 'casual' attire. He was wearing a white oxford with the first three buttons undone and the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, a black waistcoat, black dress pants, and shiny black leather derby shoes. He had tousled his hair into a sexy bedhead look and had contacts in instead of wearing his usual glasses. "No tie or jacket? _Scandalous_!"

Scarecrow grinned at her, pulling her close to him and wrapping his arms tight around her. "Looks like we're both letting loose tonight," he purred, lowering his head to nip at her pulse point. "Let's go, my love," he playfully swatted her ass and she giggled, taking his hand in hers and practically dragging him down the stairs.

"Marco!" Jester shot Scarecrow a devilish grin before launching herself off the railing on the second floor, landing gracefully to Scarecrow's surprise. He half expected her to break her ankles in the stiletto boots she wore, but she was light on her feet and fluid in her movements.

"Polo!" Harley's voice came from the kitchen and Scarecrow took his time as he made his way over, smirking as he watched Jester practice her 'house parkour' skills on every single ledge and piece of furniture on her way to the kitchen.

"Ooooh! You look fancy!" Harley circled Jester like a hawk, eyeing her outfit closely. "I like it!"

Jester pressed a smacking kiss to Harley's cheek and twirled one of her high pigtails in her finger, grinning at her clown twin. "You look pretty damn good yourself," Jester purred.

Harley did, too. She wore a red and black leather corset with a deep v neck that cut off just above her belly button and a matching pair of tiny shorts. She completed the look with a pair of leather thigh-high stiletto boots, one red and one black. "Great minds think alike, eh Jestah?" Harley did a little twirl and smacked her gum, pleased with herself and her outfit for the night.

"Before the two of you start fornicating on the kitchen island," Scarecrow smirked at the two of them and motioned towards the garage door, "let's get going."

"So bossy," Jester mock-pouted, jutting her bottom lip out at him.

"Buzzkill," Harley jabbed, following Jester out into the garage with a huff.

Scarecrow sat in the VIP booth with one leg folded over the other, his arms draped over the cushions and one of Jester's cigarettes hanging lazily from his mouth as he watched her dance in her usual cage, fully aware that she was purposely teasing him with her song choices, pole tricks, and 'come hither' looks. He was oblivious to everything and everyone else around him, his orange eyes locked on her as he smoked, drank, and relaxed.

Ruiz was posted just outside the booth as always, standing guard in Johnny's place. Bane was sitting in the booth opposite Scarecrow, watching all of the patrons in the club and keeping a close eye on the door. He cast a glance at Scarecrow and noticed the man was completely mesmerized by Jester and chuckled to himself, amused at the little clown's ability to captivate men.

"_...Hold my arms above my head_

_And push my face into the bed_

_'Cause I'm a screamer, baby_

_Make me a mute_

_You put your hand up to my neck and feel the pulse_

_Beat, beat, beat, beat_

_It's like a trigger getting ready to shoot_

_Wanna wrestle with me, baby?_

_Here's a sneak little peek_

_You can dominate the game_

_'Cause I'm tough_

_I don't play around that often_

_When I do, I'm a freak_

_So you better believe_

_I like it rough..."_

Scarecrow hissed, raking a hand through his hair as he watched Jester move gracefully on the pole inside of her cage. Between her slow, deliberate, sultry moves and the lyrics of the song, he was going to come undone. He could see why Joker was so insanely possessive of her and jealous whenever any other man had even a sliver of her attention – she was devastating. They locked eyes for a moment and Scarecrow licked his lips at her, his orange eyes burning with lust. She was making it clear she chose this song specifically for him and it was taking every ounce of control he had not to rip her out of that cage and do exactly what the song said.

"_...Push up to my body_

_Sink your teeth into my flesh_

_Bite into me harder_

_Sink your teeth into my flesh_

_Hold me up against the wall_

_Give it 'til I beg, give me some more_

_Make me bleed, I like it rough_

_Make it rough_

_Rough_

_Rough!  
Push up to my body_

_Sink your teeth into my flesh..." _

"_Bitch," _he growled, picking up his tumbler of whiskey and downing it in one gulp. His eyes were still glued to hers as she teased him, bending over and wiggling her ass with an innocent look on her face. "I'm going to tear her apart."

The song ended but she didn't come out of her cage, choosing to stay and dance to the next song that came on. He glared at her, his eyebrows furrowing in his rage when she turned her back and began snaking her way up the pole, entertaining all of the patrons at the bar as they whistled and catcalled at her and Harley. He shot up out of his seat in the booth, stalking out of the VIP section and through the packed club towards the bar. Once there, he slipped into a bar stool that was directly across from her cage, ignoring the terrified men that had cleared a path for him and jumped out of their seats at the sight of his glowing eyes.

"_You know I never been this high_

_You know just how to amplify_

_You know, your head against my thighs_

_You know how much I sacrifice_

_I know just how to please you now_

_I know that we just fit somehow_

_I know that your words are your vows_

_I know you'll never say goodbye_

_Look how you went and saved me_

_I know you'll never break me_

_You popped me like ecstasy_

_I love you so dangerously_

_Look how you went and saved me_

_I know you'll never break me_

_You popped me like ecstasy_

_I love you so dangerously..."_

Scarecrow ordered himself another whiskey and tipped the terrified bartender generously, waving her off with one hand while the other lifted his glass to his mouth. Jester was watching him again, getting off on him watching her with such lust and hunger radiating from him. She shivered a little in her cage, licking her lips as she moved slowly to the song. It was one of her favorites and she knew he'd like it. From the feral look on his face, he did. She was pressing all the right buttons tonight – between her outfit, the two songs, and all of her teasing, he'd be ripping her out of her cage soon. She was looking forward to it.

"_...Baby, take off all your clothes for me_

_I wanna see what's underneath_

_And kiss your skin, I'm on my knees_

_Your weight on me, I want your heat_

_Hold me close, don't ever leave_

_Take me to space and make me live_

_It's kind of hard to even believe_

_But I found God in you, baby..."_

"Come to me," Scarecrow commanded, crooking a finger at her as the song began fading out. "Don't make me wait."

Jester grinned at him, flipping her hair back over her shoulder and raking a hand through it as she moved towards the little door to her cage. She felt his gaze burning into her as she moved carefully down the stairs, accepting the male bartender's hand when he offered it to her to help her down. She bit her lip, grinning wickedly as she sauntered out from behind the bar and moved through the parted crowd over to Scarecrow. She slipped her hands over his shoulders, pressing her chest against his back and massaged him as she whispered in his ear from over his shoulder. "Did you like my dance?"

Scarecrow chuckled low in his throat and stood up swiftly from his bar stool, snatching Jester's wrists in a bruising grip and holding them firmly against his chest. He lowered his head to look into her eyes and smirked at her, tilting his head just slightly to tease her as he brought his mouth closer to hers. "I will make you suffer for all of this teasing, littlest clown. _'Make me bleed, I like it rough'_? Be very careful what you ask for – I am not Jonathan, I do not have limits."

"I'm not afraid of you," Jester purred, looking him right in the eye. "Do your worst."

Scarecrow nipped harshly at her bottom lip and pulled away, keeping a grip on one of her wrists as he dragged her through the stunned crowd and back into the VIP section, intent on making her suffer until she begged him for it.

"Where are we going? Aren't we going home?" Jester was confused as she made her way up the small staircase into the VIP section.

Scarecrow laughed, roughly slamming her into a wall out of Bane and Ruiz's sight and wrapping a hand around her throat, applying just enough pressure to make her choke. "Of course not, my love. You've teased me all night long, now I will make you _beg_ for it."

"_God,_" Jester murmured, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth. "You're doing that thing again – that thing where you turn me on and make my brain go all fuzzy."

"Oh?" Scarecrow smirked, pressing his body flush against her and rolling his hips into hers.

"Please," she murmured, moaning quietly as his stiff cock rubbed against her through their clothes. "I want it."

"Not good enough," Scarecrow scolded, choking her harder. "You can beg better than that."

"Scarecrow," she rasped it out, her voice husky and low from her arousal and her limited air supply. "Please, take me home. I want you – I want you so bad, that's why I teased you. I wanted you to take me."

"Take you? _Do_ _tell_, little clown."

"I wanted -" she gasped, struggling to get the words out as he choked her, "wanted you to rip me out of my cage and – and fuck me hard and _rough_."

"What if I fucked you right here against the wall?" He purred in her ear, using his knee to spread her thighs apart. His hand cupped her damp sex through her shorts and she whined and writhed at the touch, her chest heaving as her breathing became ragged.

"Yes! Right here! Please, please, please," she rolled her hips into his hand and moaned quietly, flicking her tongue out and tracing it along his bottom lip.

"Getting warmer," he cooed. "Try harder."

"I need – please – I _need_ it!" She was beginning to beg incoherently, gasping when she felt his hand slip up her shorts and his fingers brushing against her damp panties.

"So _wet_!" He growled. "Is that all for me, little clown?"

She nodded, not saying a word. She moaned loudly when he moved her panties to the side and roughly shoved two fingers inside her. He released her throat and clapped his hand over her mouth to muffle her moans, grinning at her as he curled his fingers and stroked her g-spot. "So wet and so _tight_. I'm going to enjoy stretching this little pussy out tonight."

Jester's eyes rolled back when his thumb swiped at her clit, rubbing light circles against it as he fucked her hard and deep with his long, slender fingers. She sagged a little against the wall, her legs trembling as he worked her towards an orgasm.

"Already?" Scarecrow threw his head back and laughed, slipping a third finger inside of her. "What a perfect little bitch – soaked, quivering, and already about to bathe my hand with your release."

"Oh fuck," Jester hissed, biting down harshly on her bottom lip. "Please!" She gripped his forearm tight in her hand, pulling on it and forcing his fingers deeper inside of her.

"So impatient," Scarecrow chided. He leaned down and crashed his lips into hers, swallowing her pants, moans, and cusses as he forced her into her first orgasm with his rough, ruthless ministrations. She soaked his hand, coating it in her juices and he moaned into her mouth. "Good girl," he purred, making a show of licking her essence off of his fingers and hand. "_Delicious_."

"Take me home," she panted, trembling in his grip against the wall. "Please, take me home. Fuck my brains out, Scarecrow. Just fucking take me home."

"Still not good enough," he scolded. "Where's the desperation – the _need_? I'm not hearing it..."

"Scarecrow, I swear to _god_!" She gripped him by the front of his shirt and yanked him closer to her. "I am about a hair away from strangling you to fucking death if you keep teasing me. Take me home right now and fuck me, or _so help me_, I will -"

"There it is," Scarecrow crooned, looking deep into her eyes. "That's what I was looking for. I knew you had it in you, darling. Now let's get _this_ in you." He ground his erection against her, bending his knees so it was rubbing against her soaking wet sex. "Let's go before you squirt all over my clothes."

"What?" Jester looked down, rearranging her panties and shorts a little so she was more comfortable, and that's when it hit her. The smell of sex hung thick in the air over them, her shorts and panties were soaked as if they had been submerged in water, and Scarecrow's arm was as wet as his hand had been. He was grinning down at her, watching with amusement as she put the pieces together.

"Say it," he commanded, lifting her chin with the same two fingers he had fucked her with. "I want to hear it from your mouth."

"I... I _squirted_?" The words came out in a question and Scarecrow barked a laugh, raking his hand through her hair and tugging at it.

"Oh yes, darling. I'm going to make you do it repeatedly tonight. We should probably fuck in the bathtub or the shower if you don't want to sleep in your own little pool."

"I did that? I've _never_ done that before." She whispered it, her eyes widening in her shock and awe.

Scarecrow nodded, slowly sinking to his knees in front of her. He yanked her shorts and panties to the side and swiped his tongue up her soaking wet slit, sucking roughly on her clit when he reached it.

"Oh, FUCK!" Jester gripped the wall behind her and dug her heels into the carpet, trying to hold herself up as he assaulted her with his mouth. Her legs shook uncontrollably and she felt herself building up again very quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut and fisted a hand in his hair, tugging hard at it while he alternated between laving his tongue over her clit and thrusting it inside her and fucking her with it. She had bitten her lip so hard it was dribbling blood down her chin, trying not to scream and draw attention to them as Scarecrow greedily lapped at her.

"Shut up," he snarled, looking up at her from between her thighs. "Unless you want everyone to see me licking your sweet little pussy."

Her eyes rolled back in her head at his words and she choked down a scream as he sucked hard on her clit once more. She saw white as she came apart again, much more intensely than last time. Scarecrow latched his mouth onto her sensitive flesh, licking and sucking at it hungrily until he had lapped up every last drop of her essence. Without a word, he straightened her panties and shorts and crushed her lips with his, forcing his tongue into her mouth and making her taste herself.

"How do you keep doing that?" She was panting as he released her, her chest heaving with every breath she took. Her eyes were half-lidded, her cheeks flushed, and a thin sheen of sweat broke out on her face and chest.

"It's a secret," Scarecrow answered, sweeping her off her feet. He cradled her in his arms and made his way to the stairs towards the back door, eager to get her home so he could sink himself inside her heat and fuck her within an inch of her life.

* * *

Scarecrow wasted no time once he got Jester home, fighting off his primal urge to drop her to the floor and drag her by her ankles upstairs to the bedroom. He kept a tight hold on his self-control, carrying her up to his bedroom on the second floor. "You can ruin this mattress all you'd like, you little whore," he spat, completely lost to his lust. He tossed her down on the bed and glared down at her, his chest heaving as he panted. "Tell me, little clown, how far is too far for you? How badly can I hurt you? Give me a safe word – or I can peek inside that pretty little head of yours and see all your kinks, fantasies and desires for myself."

"You can really see all of _that_ inside my mind?" She scrambled to sit up, staring up at him in horror. Not even Joker knew just how depraved she was and she wasn't sure she wanted anyone else knowing, either. She was self-conscious and afraid to open up about her kinks and fantasies. She'd only really explored some of them with Damian back before things had gone sour between them and even then, there were certain things he wasn't willing to do or didn't do the way she wanted him to.

"Relax," he purred, climbing onto the bed and pulling her down by her legs until she was flat on her back beneath him. "You know I've seen glimpses of them before, they're nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. I won't look if you don't want me to."

"C-Can you... can you just, for now -"

Scarecrow already knew what she was about to ask and cut her off with a harsh kiss. He took a moment to peer into her mind, delving into the darkest, most depraved corners of it to find what he was looking for. He distracted her as he kneaded her breasts roughly through her corset, grinding himself hard against her. Once he was satisfied, he pulled away from her and grinned. "You are very, very naughty, baby. You're such a kinky, filthy little thing – why haven't you explored any of this with the Clown? You're too afraid and self-conscious to tell him?"

Jester simply nodded, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

"Now, love, if that nice little cut on your lip begins bleeding again, you keep it away from my mouth, do you understand? I will punish you _most_ harshly if you poison me."

Jester moaned and squirmed underneath him in response to his threat, feeling a jolt of thrill shoot through her.

"Good girl. I don't need a safe word anymore, you little minx. I've seen what you want – what you need. I'm more than happy to give it all to you. Are you up for it? Can you handle all of it in one night?"

"Yes," she panted, suckling at her bottom lip until it stopped bleeding.

"I want to look at you," he purred, unhooking the eye on her corset. He unzipped it slowly, breathing heavily as he took his time pushing it to the side and exposing her bare breasts to him. "God," he moaned, sitting up to straddle her legs, "you are _beautiful_." He latched onto one of her hard nipples, suckling at it desperately until her moans turned into cries of pain. He bit down hard on it, careful not to break the skin, and sucked until she thrashed underneath him. With his free hand he tugged and pinched harshly on the other one, delighting in the pain he was causing her. He knew her cries of pain were nothing to worry about, she was panting and writhing underneath him and moaning between the sounds, enjoying the hurt he was causing her. He found a burning desire to be punished, degraded, and forced to submit in the back of her mind – a fantasy and a need she was too embarrassed to voice aloud or ask for, but always desired every time she got fucked. He was going to give her what she wanted, and he was going to give it to her until she cried and begged for him to _stop, _the same way her fantasy played out in her mind.

"Please – PLEASE!" She screamed as he bit down on her other nipple, matching the abuse he had wrought on the first one. "I need it, I need _you_!"

"You _need_ it? Need me? Are you _sure_?" He cackled in glee when she raked her nails down his back over the fabric of his shirt, whining under him.

"Yes, Scarecrow! I need it so badly – I need you to fuck me hard and rough. I want you to hurt me. Fuck me until it hurts!"

"Such a little deviant you are," he snarled, ripping his clothes off as quick as he could. He yanked her shorts off and kept her panties, boots, and fishnets on, loving the way they looked on her while she was wild like this. "You want pain, baby? You'll have it. I'm not going to stop until I break you, do you understand me? I'm going to fucking _ruin_ you." Without another word, he shoved her panties to the side and drove into her so hard she screamed in pain when his cock hit the back of her channel. "Fuck _yes_!" He roared, fisting her hair in one hand and choking her roughly with the other. "You're so fucking _tight, _you dirty little slut! You're gonna make me cum, is that what you want? You want me to fill you up again and again until it leaks down your thighs and ruins your stockings?" He slapped her lightly, experimentally; careful not too hit her too hard and glared down at her as he picked up his pace and brutally fucked her.

"ANSWER ME!"

"YES!" She screamed the word over and over again like a mantra, completely incoherent as her eyes rolled back in her head. She continued to scream for him as he fucked her, slapping her when she begged for it and calling her every vile, cruel name under the sun that she asked him to. She was unhinged, lost to her lust and her urges, surrendering herself to her kinks and desires. She wasn't embarrassed or self-conscious anymore, too focused on how good everything felt and how incredibly hot it was having Scarecrow fulfilling her darkest fantasies and thoroughly enjoying them with her. He was getting off to them as much as she was, playing his role perfectly and giving her exactly what she wanted. His ability to read her mind helped significantly, he was able to see exactly what she wanted and needed when words failed her or she was too busy screaming and moaning in pleasure from his crass language and mild violence.

"Fuck me," he demanded, going still inside of her. He was on his knees with her legs draped over his shoulders, gripping her thighs tight in his hands. "Come on, my little whore. Fuck me. Show me how bad you want my cock."

Jester went wild, bucking her hips as hard as she could against him and moaning loudly as she built up to another orgasm. "I'm – I'm..."

"Do it, Jester! Do it. Squirt again for me, and you better make it a good one."

Jester screamed so loud she lost her voice, tears streaming down her face as her orgasm ripped through her. She saw stars, nearly blacking out from the force of it, and felt a hot wetness all over her thighs and belly. When she calmed down, panting and sweating, she opened her eyes and looked down at herself to see clear fluid coating her skin in a slick sheen. It was all over Scarecrow, too, and he was laughing deliriously as he continued to piston in and out of her. "How does it feel to be covered in your cum, you little slut? Hmm? Do you like it, baby? Do you like being covered in your own filth?"

Jester was crying from the intensity of her orgasm and the pleasure he was giving her, unable to speak. Her throat was raw, dry, and sore from all of her screaming and they were just getting started.

"I'm gonna fill you up, my little clown. Stay still for me, I want you to feel my seed spraying into the back of your cunt. I want you to cum again as I do it." He was whispering in her ear, crushing her with his body as he pumped steadily in and out of her. "Be a good girl and spread your legs for me," he purred, choking her lightly.

She obeyed, spreading her thighs apart as wide as they would go and gasping when he moaned, thrusting as hard as he could into her until he was buried to the hilt. She felt his cock twitch and his body tense just before he emptied himself inside of her, the feeling of it and the pulsing of his cock sending her into another orgasm underneath him. "Oh God," she cried, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "Oh my _God_," she was incoherent and dazed, lost in a state of complete bliss.

"You're such a good girl, Jester," he whispered, bringing his mouth to hers. "Jonathan warned you that I'd do terrible things to you. You took all of it _so_ well, I'm so proud of you." His kiss was surprisingly gentle and affectionate. He was careful not to suck on her bottom lip, weary of her blood leaking into his mouth. He brought his free hand up to cup her face, stroking her skin to soothe the sting of his unforgiving slaps. "Are you alright, gorgeous?"

Jester opened her eyes, sniffling as she met his and she smiled. "So good," she rasped, grinning at him. "I'm good. I'm so, _so_ good."

"That's a serious understatement," he chuckled, kissing her once more. "Take a moment to rest, my gorgeous clown. The pain has only just begun. I don't want you to tap out on me just yet."

"Fuck me nice and slow," she breathed. "For a few minutes... please."

Scarecrow didn't answer, opting to kiss her softly instead. He tangled his hands in her hair and let Jonathan resurface for this – making love was not something Scarecrow did, and Jonathan deserved to have a turn with her anyway.

"Jesus Christ, Jester," Jonathan whispered, his eyes back to their usual sky blue when they locked onto hers. "Are you okay? This is what you _truly_ wanted?" He frowned, examining the bruises on her throat, thighs, arms, torso and her red, raw nipples. Her cheeks were red from his multiple swats and her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen from crying, but she had a lazy smile on her face and she looked well and truly happy.

"I'm fine, Craney, I promise. After the horrible day I've had, I needed that," she whispered. "He gave me exactly what I wanted." She blushed a little, chewing on her bottom lip nervously as everything she and Scarecrow had just done flashed through her mind. "My depravity seems to have no bounds. Trauma is a doozy."

"Come here, my love," he cooed, sitting back and pulling her into his lap. "Let's get these off of you." He pulled off her boots and her panties, tossing them to the floor before pulling her into his lap. "Wrap yourself tightly around me, my darling." She did as he asked, wrapping her arms and legs tight around him. He slowly entered her, letting his head fall back as he felt her walls clamp down around him. He maintained his control, slipping into her inch by inch and being careful not to hurt her. "Does it hurt?"

"No, baby," she breathed, pressing lazy kisses along his throat and his jaw. "It's perfect."

"Good, darling. You want me to make love to you?" He paused, cupping her face in one hand and looking deep into her eyes.

Jester wouldn't answer, choosing to avert her eyes and nod instead as a blush crept across her cheeks.

"You and your fear of weakness," Jonathan whispered, kissing his way along her jawline. "Needing and wanting to feel loved does not make you weak, littlest clown."

"Love makes people weak and causes them pain," Jester muttered, her eyes flashing for just a moment with what Jonathan swore was rage.

"He meant well," Jonathan whispered. "At least, he did at first. He could have killed the Doctor, but he didn't. It was wrong of him not to tell you, but I understand his _initial_ reasoning. Don't you remember that day? You ripped his head off for offering to deal with your mother for you and I had intervened and brought you up to the nursery. I tucked you in with a blanket in the glider and you napped while I sanitized the room."

"He had _months_ worth of chances to tell me. He spent so much time there while I was pregnant – he should have told me." Jester looked Jonathan in the eye, completely serious with all traces of her earlier embarrassment and shyness completely erased from her expression.

"You weren't exactly reasonable when you were pregnant, my love," Jonathan said as gently as he could, hoping her rage wouldn't turn on him.

"And after Ace was born?"

"You're both exhausted first-time parents and he's a notorious psychopath trying to run several empires, aside from his own, on top of doing his best to be a good man to you, a good father to Ace, and keeping things around here in order. Let's take into account here how calm he's been since your pregnancy. When was the last time he provoked the Batman, tried to poison the City, took over the airwaves and threatened Gotham, kidnapped the Mayor, killed masses of people for entertainment, or even robbed a bank?"

"I ask you for some hanky panky and you begin listing off all the reasons why my fiance is a good man." Jester rolled her eyes at him and huffed.

Jonathan laughed, pecking her on the lips. "Technically, you didn't ask me for anything."

"Well if you don't wanna do it, I guess I can ask Scare -"

Jonathan cut her off with a kiss. "You can't stand it when I'm right, can you?"

"Can't you just go back to being sweet and loving me?" Jester scowled at him and wriggled a little in his lap.

"Is that what you want?" He kissed her once more and gripped her hips gently in his hands.

"Yes," she breathed, pressing herself flush against him.

Jonathan didn't say anything, pressing a soft kiss to her mouth as he resumed a slow, steady pace inside of her. He rubbed her sensitive clit very, very lightly with his thumb and held her close to him as he made love to her, not daring to break their kiss for even a moment.

Soon, her muscles began to clamp down on him again and he moaned into her mouth, picking up his pace just a little and angling himself so his cock brushed against her g-spot with every thrust. "That's it, my littlest clown. Let go." He pulled away from her, looking deep into her eyes as she reached the peak of her orgasm. He moaned loudly with her as she came, gently and quietly, squeezing his cock with her contractions. He bit his lip and fought down his orgasm, wanting to coax at least one more from her before he released himself. "I love you, Jester," he murmured, lowering his head to kiss his way along her shoulder. He kissed along the column of her throat, lowering her onto her back and pressing himself gently against her. "You've made me happier in the past 24 hours than I've ever been."

"I love you too, Craney," she whispered, looking into his eyes. "I do. Just not -"

"Not the way that I love you, I'm aware. I know Joker holds your heart in his hands, and that's fine. It doesn't matter that you aren't in love with me. I'd rather have this with you than nothing at all. I am happy with this, Jester. I am happy with _you_." "

Tears slipped out of her eyes at his admission and she sobbed, pulling him closer to her. The events of the day and the roller-coaster of emotions she had experienced since waking up were finally taking their toll on her, the dam finally breaking. He stopped moving, going still inside of her and wrapped his arms tight around her. "It's okay. Take as long as you need."

"Please, keep going. I need it, Craney. I need _you. _Not him – _you_." She pressed soft kisses to his shoulders and neck, trying to make him understand what she was trying and failing to say outright.

"Jester," he purred, sinking deeper inside of her, "say it again. Please, say it again."

"I need you, Craney – _only_ you."

Jonathan's lips met hers in a frenzied, desperate kiss and she wrapped her legs tighter around him, pulling him as close as she could to her. She ran her fingers through his hair, stroked every inch of skin she could reach, and let his tongue explore every single crevice of her mouth, both of them drinking each other in and taking their fill.

His thrusts began to pick up in speed and she tightened against him again, whimpering into his mouth. He cupped her face in his hands, keeping her mouth pressed against his and swallowed her moans as she climaxed, clutching tightly at his shoulders as her release spurred on his own. He spilled himself deep inside of her, cradling her in his arms and panting as he collapsed on top of her. "God..." He rolled off of her and onto his side, pulling her close to him and cradling her head against his chest. "You are amazing, my littlest clown. So _amazing_."

She cried into his chest, clutching at his arms and tangling her legs in his, breathing shakily.

"What's wrong? Did Scarecrow take it too far, or did my words upset you?"

She shook her head, sobbing loudly and sniffling. "No, no," she choked. "I'm just – I'm overwhelmed. There are so many _feelings_."

"I know," he cooed, soothing her as she calmed down. "I know, baby. It's a lot to take in – the pain, the pleasure, the heavy emotions. It's overwhelming. Today was a horrible day for you on top of it all."

Jester just nodded, trying to calm herself down as all of the events and emotions of the day overwhelmed her. She focused on Jonathan's heartbeat, something that always calmed her down no matter how upset or overwhelmed she ever was.

"It'll be alright, my littlest clown, I promise. If no one else, you can trust _me_. Do you believe me?"

She nodded against his chest, blushing a little. "I trusted both of you tonight with my... well, my _'kinks.' _I've never told Joker about any of them. That's a pretty big thing, you know."

He knew what she was really saying – _'please don't tell anyone else, please don't embarrass me, please don't betray me – these are my deepest, darkest secrets and shames; please don't make me regret opening up like this.' _

"I'll never betray you," Jonathan promised, dead set on keeping it until the day he died. He was a shadow in Scarecrow's mind when Scarecrow searched her thoughts and saw the same constant thought haunting the forefront of her mind that Scarecrow had. Four people she loved betrayed her trust – something that seemed simple to forgive but wasn't. Betrayal and abandonment were two of her biggest fears and two of the biggest causes of her trauma, and she didn't handle either one well no matter how big or small.

It wasn't really about Doctor Mills – though she was certainly upset at the state she found the Doctor in. It was about the love of her life, her best friend, her cousin, and another good friend that she trusted going behind her back, doing something they knew would upset, anger and hurt her, and keeping it from her with no intention of ever telling her the truth.

Their betrayals sparked her anxiety and paranoia – her mind was plagued with thoughts and ideas of other things they could be lying about or hiding from her, forcing her to question their true intentions with her and whether or not any of her relationships with them were ever genuine. They had destroyed her sense of security and comfort with them and obliterated her confidence and trust in them. They'd find out the hard way that all of this caused _her_ more pain than it would ever cause them.

"Now rest, my sweet clown. Close your eyes and go to sleep. I will bring you to your bed."

"Don't leave me," she begged, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Stay with me."

Jonathan smiled, knowing she meant for him to stay in control and to keep Scarecrow at bay. "I will, my love. I think he's just as worn out as I am, anyway. Let's get you into something comfortable, shall we?" He slowly untangled himself from her, pulled his boxers back on and made his way over to his armoire, digging out a light blue cotton t-shirt. He made his way back over to the bed and carefully rolled her fishnet leggings down, pulling them off of her before slipping the t-shirt over her head and slipping her arms through the sleeves. "Come on, sleepyhead," he cooed, kissing her softly as he cradled her in his arms. He carried her up to the master bedroom and nudged the bedroom door open with his foot. He carefully set her down on her bed before making his way into the bathroom. He ran her a hot bubble bath, turning on the jets and pouring in a healthy amount of jasmine and lavender scented Epsom salts.

"Do you want to take a bath before you fall asleep, darling? Or would you like to sleep in the bath?" He chuckled when she groaned and flipped over on her side in response.

"Alright," he whispered, picking her up again. He brought her into the bathroom and stripped his shirt from her before carefully setting her into the tub. Without missing a beat, he stripped out of his boxers and climbed into the tub with her, pulling her back against his chest as he leaned against the wall of the tub. He let her rest, using her loofah to gently wash every inch of her skin. He washed her face, her hair, and her hands as well. Once they were both clean, he towel-dried her, slipped his t-shirt back on her and tucked her into bed. He drained the tub, slipped his boxers back on and turned off all the lights in the bedroom before climbing into bed next to her.

He turned the TV on, putting Netflix on and making a point not to put on that stupid Gossip Girl show. He selected The Originals instead since it was a show she loved and one he found he enjoyed as well. He wrapped himself around her, tangling their legs together and burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I really do love you, Jester," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

"Promise?" She rasped, clutching his hand in hers and pressing it against her chest, right over her heart. He noticed she liked to sleep that way since she did it every night, whether awake or asleep and knew it was something that comforted her.

"I promise."


	34. SongbirdChapter34

**The Mansion Safe House:**

Jonathan was startled awake by the violent vibration of his phone on the nightstand. He glanced over at Jester, relieved to see he hadn't woken her up with his movements. He shifted carefully as he moved closer to his nightstand, picking up his phone and checking the time. 1:17 AM. He had three missed calls from Ruiz and two from Bane, along with 8 text messages from both men and Joker.

"Dammit," he murmured, scrubbing a hand down his face and leaning back against the headboard, reading through the text messages first.

_'12:56 AM: Where is Jester? Is she ignoring me or asleep?'_

_'12:57 AM: I assume you're both too busy fucking to answer the phone?'_

_'12:59 AM: Tell her I'll be calling her in the morning.'_

_'1:03 AM: Problem at Giggles. Come ASAP.'_

_'1:05 AM: Where are you guys?'_

_'1:08 AM: Maroni and Zsasz in VIP pestering Bane about lounge. You guys awake?'_

_'1:11 AM: Why aren't you guys answering? Shit, you're both asleep, aren't you?'_

_'1:15 AM: El Diablo, Maroni and Zsasz are requesting to speak to Mortifera. I would throw them out, but I do not want to aggravate Mortifera. What would you have me do?'_

_**If you get up, she will wake up. She always knows when her bed partner is gone.**_

_And if I return these phone calls right here, she'll wake up and be even more stressed and aggravated than she was before. She's only been asleep for a couple of hours. I don't want her waking up and going down there to sort this out._

_**We both know she'll insist on going and handling it despite the extra frustration it'll cause her.**_

_This is a bad time for Joker to be locked up._

_**Yes, the cocky green-haired fuck. How unfortunate that he can't be here to further upset our sweet little clown.**_

_We need to stay out of that. That's not even the point – the point is if he were here, he'd be off to handle it by himself and she'd let him. I doubt she'd let me go without her._

_**Looks like we are waking her up, Jonathan. I'll be lurking.**_

_Let's hope Zsasz and Maroni will leave without issue. There has been more than enough bloodshed today to last us a week._

_**If you can't handle it, then by all means – hand me the reins. I'd be more than happy to spill as much blood as my precious little hellcat desires.**_

_She needs rest, not bloodshed! Come on, Scarecrow, give her a break. She had a horrible day, she needs to relax and unwind._

_**She needs to spill more blood and take out all that pent up rage and hostility. I only got a fraction of it out of her tonight... not that I'm complaining.**_

_Do try to control yourself, you depraved deviant._

_**She'd let you brutalize her too, you know... you need only ask.**_

_I'd prefer not to slap her around and call her such derogatory names. That can be your thing._

Jonathan tuned Scarecrow's delighted, wicked cackling out and sighed. He leaned over and brushed Jester's hair out of her face, hating himself for what he was about to do.

"Jester, my love," he muttered, pressing kisses along her arm, shoulder, neck and face. "I need you to wake up, darling."

She groaned a little and shifted further away from him, making a half-hearted swat in his direction.

"I know you're tired, baby. I'm so sorry to wake you up but I know you wouldn't want me to handle Zsasz and Maroni without you."

"Wha... Huh? Maroni?" Her voice was dry and raspy from sleep and all of her screaming and crying earlier.

"Maroni and Zsasz are at Giggles pestering Bane and Ruiz about speaking to you. Apparently they won't leave. Bane wants to forcefully remove them but isn't sure if that's what you'd want."

"Well, since they're fucking interrupting my sleep, I'm going to _kill_ them both." She snarled angrily, shooting up out of bed and storming into the bathroom.

Scarecrow groaned, running his hands through his disheveled hair. "How many kills is that in 24 hours, I wonder?"

_**She's close to 20 for the day if she kills these two morons.**_

_Lovely._

_**It IS the reason you fell in love with her, remember? All that talk about psychological warfare at that first meeting? She had you wrapped around her little finger in an instant...**_

_That's before I realized how much baggage she's carrying around and how traumatized she is. She needs rest and relaxation. She needs a few days to decompress. She hasn't spent good quality time with Ace in awhile. She needs a few days to just be a mother._

_**So let her kill the two morons and then she can have her RR. You aren't wrong, but she needs to handle this. They are overstepping and need to be dealt with or else it will continue and become a bigger issue for her.**_

_Point taken. If this little meeting causes her any more stress or frustration, I'm going to annihilate the idiots myself. She has had enough today. This is ridiculous._

_**Let me – after all, I can shred them with my claws. Or burn them. Or rip their souls out through their mouths... just shove my long, gnarled claws right down their throats and -**_

_Got it. Thank you for that lovely image._

Jonathan shook his head and got out of bed, heading out of the bedroom and towards his room downstairs for a change of clothes. He stopped outside the nursery door, peering through the crack and listening to the babies. They were fast asleep, much to his relief, and he smiled at the dogs when they caught his eye from where they both lay in front of the crib. "Good puppies," he whispered, quickly darting for the stairs.

*****

Dressed in a navy blue long sleeve v-neck shirt, a pair of black chinos and black leather loafers, Jonathan made his way out of his room and down the hall to Catwoman's. His hair was still a mess but he didn't care, only having put in enough effort to smooth it down a little. He had a new pair of contacts in, reminding himself not to rub his tired eyes as he gently rapped on her door, clenching his jaw in anticipation of the woman ripping his head off for waking her.

"What is it?" She was half asleep when she answered the door, draped in one of Tommy's t-shirts with her hair tied up in a bun at the crown of her head.

"My sincerest apologies for waking you, Selina. Jester and I need to leave. Maroni and Zsasz showed up at the club and won't leave without speaking to Jester."

He bit back a laugh at the comical way her eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open. "Zsasz? _Zsasz? _Crane, has the demon rattled your mind a little too much? Victor Zsasz is dead. You were there."

"Three words, Selina," Jonathan gave her a serious look, slipping his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the door frame. "_Doctor _Hugo Strange." He wrinkled his nose in distaste, his narcissism kicking in at the thought of a lunatic like that having such a title. The word tasted like vinegar in his mouth.

"I regret everything I said about things being too quiet lately," Catwoman sighed, rubbing her eyes with her balled-up fists. "What do you need from me?"

"I just need someone to look after the little ones. They were fast asleep when I checked on them, all you need to do is turn on your monitor."

"That's all? I thought you were gonna ask me to suit up and go with you, which I'm begrudgingly considering anyway since that nutjob Zsasz is back."

"Bane and Ruiz are there, and I'll be with her. The goal is to find out what they want and get them out as smoothly and quickly as possible. I want her to stay here and get some rest for the next few days, she needs a break." Jonathan sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I'm furious that I had to wake her up for this."

"Listen to me, Crane. You don't know Maroni like I do – she'll have to kill him if the meeting doesn't go well. Maroni's like a spoiled child, if he doesn't get what he wants he throws a tantrum." Catwoman's expression hardened and her eyes flashed with malice. "He'll wage war on us and that's the last thing any of us need, especially with the boys in Blackgate and all the plans we have for the Bat-Family."

"Duly noted," Jonathan gave her a curt nod and straightened up. "Thank you, Selina. Would you like me to let you know when we're home?"

"I'll know," Catwoman winked at him and waited for him to retreat before closing her door. She turned on her baby monitor and slipped back into bed, hoping to get a few more hours of sleep before the morning sickness reared its ugly head.

Jonathan's eyes widened as he reentered the master bedroom and found Jester. She was dressed in her bodysuit with her matching boots and gloves, her makeup redone and her hair thrown up in a messy high ponytail. She was armed to the teeth as usual with both holsters and her belt on, looking like a clown cosplay of Lara Croft. That wasn't what concerned him, however – no, it was the loaded 12 gauge shotgun with a pistol grip in her hands.

He simply raised an eyebrow at her, not even sure where to begin.

"As you're well aware, I don't fucking like being woken up," she snapped, her eyes darkening with her fury. "And I've had one hell of a day."

"Indeed. Let's go, my love." He bit the inside of his cheek to try and stop the grin slowly spreading across his face and pulled her black petticoat off of the back of the door. He draped it over her and held the heavy shotgun as she slipped her arms into the sleeves. He let her have her way, giving her back the shotgun and keeping up with her as she raged through the house like a natural disaster on her way to the garage.

*****

**Giggles Nightclub:**

Jester didn't bother parking in the back when they pulled up to the club. The GNX screeched to a loud halt just inches away from the main doors and Jester wasted no time getting out, pulling the shotgun out of the backseat and racking it as she stormed through the main entrance of the club. Jonathan nodded curtly at all of Bane's men as he followed Jester, staying hot on her heels as she stormed up the stairs and violently kicked in the doors to the second floor, stopping everything and everyone in the room.

The music stopped, the dancers stopped, the bartenders stopped, and everyone's heads swiveled to find Jester looking feral and unhinged with the huge shotgun slung over her shoulder. "What the fuck are you looking at?" She barked, glaring daggers at the crowd in front of her.

"You wanted Mortifera? You got her," Bane smirked at Don Maroni and Victor Zsasz, leaning back arrogantly against the cushions of the booth. "In all of her glory, too."

Ruiz chuckled, watching as the crowd parted like the red sea for her, noticing the slight amusement on Jonathan Crane's face as he followed her into the VIP section.

"Hey honey," Jester quipped, pecking Officer Santos on the cheek and giving him a quick one-armed hug in greeting. He was standing just before the booth with Officer Deckard beside him, watching Don Maroni and Victor Zsasz carefully from around the corner. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"We'll talk about that later," he whispered, looking over her shoulder to nod a greeting at Jonathan. "We're here if you need us, Miss Jester."

Jester flashed him a dazzling smile and pat his cheek gently before moving past him and shoulder-checking Officer Deckard, giving him a nasty glare when she caught him ogling the marks on her throat, chest, and arms. "If you can't control your eyes, I'd be happy to remove them for you."

"Are you... are you okay?" Officer Deckard's eyebrows knit together in confusion and concern and Jester rolled her eyes, gripping his jaw hard enough to make him wince.

"J doesn't pay you to ask questions, Daryl," she sneered, releasing him roughly and smirking when he stumbled a little.

Jonathan chuckled behind her, leering at Officer Deckard over her head. "Let _me_ worry about her," he drawled, narrowing his eyes at the man. "We appreciate your concern, though."

He followed Jester into the booth and nodded a quick greeting to Bane and Ruiz as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Jester was standing just a couple of feet in front of Don Maroni with the shotgun aimed right at his chest, her eyes darkening significantly.

"This better be worth being woken up, Sal," she snapped, glaring at the amused mafia Don. "Or I'm going to pull this trigger and feed whatever scraps are left to my dogs."

"Such a big threat from such a small woman," Don Maroni mused, smiling at her. "That shotgun probably weighs more than you do."

Jester wasn't amused. She lifted the muzzle of the gun and rested it just underneath his chin, holding his head up and forcing him to look her in the eye. "You're in no position to talk to me about weight," she said coldly, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I _am_ in a position to talk to you about the Iceberg Lounge, sweetheart," Don Maroni countered, leaning back and draping his arms over the booth. Victor Zsasz looked affronted, scooting further away from the Don and out from under the man's arm. Don Maroni chuckled at that, clearly amused by his hired gun's discomfort.

Jester clenched her jaw, her temper flaring at the pet name. She hated when men placated her and patronized her, she especially hated when they called her pet names like that.

Bane, Ruiz, and Jonathan looked on in amusement, knowing exactly what was about to happen. Don Maroni had just unknowingly signed his death warrant.

Jester held the shotgun out to Bane, not taking her eyes off of Don Maroni for a second as she pulled her garrote from her tactical belt once her hands were free. "You know, I expected you to be a little more intelligent," Jester said coolly, slowly stretching out the garrote and admiring how well she cleaned it after the Funhouse. "I already told your errand boy over here that I would not meet with you and I do not negotiate. Now you show up here, on J's turf, and you patronize me with pet names."

"I'd just like to say I'm _not_ an errand boy and I _did_ mention that this was not a good idea," Victor Zsasz grinned at her and leaned back comfortably in his seat, folding one leg over the other. "I only came for that drink you owe me."

"Who do you work for?" Don Maroni snapped, glaring at Victor Zsasz.

Victor shrugged, eyeing Jester and choosing his next words very carefully. "Only the most powerful in Gotham City, of course."

"Oh, I owe you a round, Zsasz... just not the kind you're thinking about," Jester bit out.

"You wound me, Queen Bee," Victor pouted, putting a hand over his heart. "I just wanna be friends."

"She has enough friends, Victor," Jonathan growled from behind her, pinning the lunatic with his gaze.

"Enough of this," Jester barked, stretching the garrote out menacingly and looming over Don Maroni. "J wanted me to carve your face up real nice and keep you half-alive for him if you stepped on my toes or sent anyone to the lounge." She grinned wickedly at him and brought her face closer to his, her dark eyes boring into his own. "Unfortunately for you, I don't always obey orders."

"This is the part where I say 'I told you so.'" Victor moved out of Jester's way.

Don Maroni scowled at Victor before turning his attention back to the dark-eyed madwoman in front of him, keeping his cool despite how close he knew he was to having his head savagely lopped off. "I only meant to introduce myself, dear," he said smoothly, giving her a small smile that she assumed must've been his attempt at a genuine one. She narrowed her eyes at him, not buying it one bit. "As far as the lounge goes, I was only going to offer my congratulations and praise for your wonderful idea."

"What do you want, Maroni?" Jonathan snaked his arms around Jester's waist from behind and pulled her body flush against his, holding her away from the mafia Don. "My patience is wearing thin."

"You've either got brass balls or a death wish, Doctor Crane," Don Maroni mused, raising an eyebrow at Jonathan's arms around Jester's waist. He raked his eyes over the small woman, examining the bites, hickeys, bruises, and fingerprints all over her exposed skin. "You fucked the Clown's broad? I sure hope it was worth it." He chuckled, missing the way everyone in the booth bristled at his words – including Victor.

"Forgive me," Jonathan let go of Jester and stepped around her, closing in on Don Maroni. "I'm afraid I couldn't quite hear you over there. Care to repeat yourself?"

Jester giggled, toying with the garrote in her hands as she watched Jonathan loom over the idiot. Don Maroni had no idea how badly he fucked up in just the last ten minutes, let alone by stepping foot into Giggles in the first place. She would let him have this kill. She was tired, annoyed, and wanted to go home.

"Bad move," Bane chided, grinning at Don Maroni as he stood and got out of Jonathan's way. Ruiz had backed away as well, everyone giving Jonathan more than enough space for what he was about to do. They all knew what was coming. Victor seemed to take the hint, slipping out of the booth and shrugging at Don Maroni when the mafia don looked to him for assistance.

"Sorry, Don," Victor was anything but sympathetic or sorry, shoving his hands in his pockets as he leaned against a wall a safe distance away.

Moments later, the familiar sound of breaking bones, popping joints, shredding clothing and growling broke the silence in the booth. Jester cackled wickedly as Don Maroni shrieked like a girl, recoiling and cowering from Scarecrow's true form.

Scarecrow didn't allow him to escape, grabbing the man by the throat and squeezing until his face turned red and his veins bulged through his skin. "You shouldn't have come here," Scarecrow's demonic growl ripped through the entire club and screams, shouts, and shrieks of surprise and terror broke out across the floor, nearly deafening the group in the VIP. Scarecrow ignored the patrons, dancers, and bartenders as they scrambled to get out, pushing and shoving and trampling each other in their haste. "Jester," he beckoned her over with his free hand, keeping his eyes on the gurgling, sputtering man in his grip. "What will you have me do, my love?"

She shot him a dazzling smile, trailing her fingers down his large, muscular arm. "Teach him some manners, would ya?"

Scarecrow grinned down at her, stroking her hair lovingly and gently trailing his claws down her spine. "Your wish is my command, my little hellcat," he purred, waiting patiently for her to retreat from the booth before turning his attention back to Don Maroni.

Officer Santos and Officer Deckard both cringed, grimaced, and shuddered as the 8-foot tall beast tore Don Maroni apart with his long, sharp claws. The guttural, feral sounds that came from the beast as he worked made their blood run cold and their stomachs churn. Don Maroni's initial blood-curdling screams certainly didn't help – they were both thankful when those stopped, though they weren't sure which sounds were worse.

"Maybe you'll heed my warning now," Officer Santos scolded, glaring at his partner.

Scarecrow began burning the remaining pieces of Don Maroni with his hands, cackling as the smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Officer Deckard just nodded at his partner and clapped a hand over his mouth before sprinting off towards the restroom, barely making it into a stall before losing the contents of his stomach.

"I knew something was different about him!" Victor Zsasz was watching the grotesque slaughter with glee, grinning from ear to ear. "I _knew_ it!"

"I wouldn't be so amused if I were you," Bane's voice drew his attention and he found the hulking luchador grinning at him. "El Diablo will not let you walk out of here."

"Let's not be too hasty," Jester cut in, sauntering up to Victor and looking up at him curiously. "I have questions for the walking scratch post. We should take him back with us and lock him up in Scarecrow's gas chamber."

"I'll go willingly, you know. Force isn't necessary." Victor raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't trust you, Zsasz. You know the drill." Jester motioned to Bane and Bane laughed boisterously, using the grip of the shotgun to knock Victor out cold. Victor dropped like a sack of potatoes to the ground, his eyes fluttering shut as he sprawled out on the floor. Bane lifted him by the scruff of his suit and slung him over his shoulder like he would a dishrag, ruffling Jester's hair affectionately and nodding at Officer Santos before making his way towards the back door with Ruiz in tow.

"To answer your question," Officer Santos smiled kindly at Jester, leaning against the wall beside her. "We were following Zsasz and Maroni. Caught them lurking outside your new lounge, watching your henchmen unloading a tractor-trailer. We followed them here from the lounge and I thought we should stick around in case they caused a problem."

"Good thing Scarecrow got rid of him, then," Jester chirped, winking at him. "What kind of retaliation should I expect for this?" She nodded towards the booth where Scarecrow was slowly transforming back into Jonathan's body, all signs of Don Maroni's existence completely erased from the booth as though nothing ever happened. All that remained was a pile of ash in a tray on the table.

"None," Officer Santos assured her. "Word has it he hired Zsasz as a bodyguard after his guys tucked tail and ran. After J killed Falcone, smaller families scattered like cockroaches. No one in their right mind would try and challenge Joker for Falcone's and Black Mask's territories and empires."

"Is that what Maroni wanted? A piece of the Falcone's and Black Mask's territories?"

"Undoubtedly," Officer Santos confirmed. "He had been gunning for Falcone for awhile, wanting to take him out so he could be top dog. J doing it royally fucked up his attempt to climb the totem pole."

"Let me guess. He thought since Joker and Johnny are locked away in Blackgate, he could approach me and deceive me into handing over a percentage of everything, thinking I wouldn't know any better?"

Officer Santos laughed, patting her on the shoulder. "Precisely, kiddo," he mused. "People still underestimate you, Miss Jester. They have no idea what you're capable of. I think it's your lack of height."

"Shut up," Jester grinned and playfully shoved him.

*****

**The Mansion Safe House:**

Jonathan woke up the next morning to loud music blaring from somewhere in the house. He shook his head, getting his wits about him and waking himself up. He noticed Jester wasn't in bed and assumed she must be the culprit behind the loud music, smiling a little to himself as he wondered just what she was up to. He rolled out of bed and stretched, forgoing a shirt and making his way downstairs in just his flannel pajama pants.

He found Jester in the kitchen with Harley, both of them using their cleaning instruments as mics and guitars as they cleaned, danced and shouted their heads off. Ace and Reina were in their highchairs, happily watching the two women, all of them oblivious to his presence. Jonathan laughed, making his way through the kitchen to the counter where he saw a pot of hot coffee waiting. He reached into the cabinet above it and pulled out a black and yellow Batman logo mug, scowling at it in distaste as he poured coffee into it.

"Mornin', handsome!" Jester crept up behind him and nipped at his shoulder, her broom/mic stand in hand.

"Good morning, love," he turned to face her and shot her a grin, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. "I see you and Harley are having fun."

"The most fun!" Harley chirped, dancing around the kitchen and tickling the babies' cheeks.

Ace and Reina both giggled, wiggling and kicking in their chairs. Ace reached out for Harley, his chubby little fingers wiggling with excitement. Harley tossed the brillo pad she had been using as a mic into the sink and scooped Ace into her arms, dancing around the kitchen with him. They were both giggling like lunatics, lost in their own little world.

"I felt like doing some cleaning," Jester motioned around the kitchen and the disarray it was currently in.

"I see that," Jonathan mused, using his free arm to pull her close to him. "Am I to assume you're feeling better today?"

"Much!" She snuggled into him, leaning her broom against the counter so she could wrap both arms around him. "How about you?"

"Much better than I was last night." He grimaced at the memory of coming home smelling like burnt flesh and hot coals the night before, hopping into the shower as soon as he possibly could to wash the stench off of him. Sure, Scarecrow got to have his fun, but Jonathan didn't enjoy being covered in the resulting scent of it. "He's certainly pleased with himself."

"It was one hell of a show," Jester smirked up at him, tapping him on the chin with her finger. "Officer Deckard puked his brains out."

Jonathan's expression darkened. "I didn't like the way he looked at you. I certainly didn't appreciate his implication, either."

"He's just jealous," Jester purred. "He wishes he could bite me."

"It is much too early for you two to start fucking," Catwoman sauntered into the kitchen looking a little worse for wear. She had bags under her dark-rimmed eyes, her hair was falling out of the bun on top of her head and she was pale and clammy.

"What happened to you?" Jester narrowed her eyes at her friend, abandoning Jonathan to turn the music down and take a closer look at Catwoman.

"Just a little bug," Catwoman shrugged her off, making her way over to the kitchen counter and pouring herself some coffee. "I'll be fine."

"Don't pass it to the rest of us," Harley gave her a wary look from across the kitchen, keeping her distance with Ace in her arms.

"You guys won't catch it," Catwoman assured her, rolling her eyes at Harley's defensive behavior. "Don't worry."

"Wait a minute..." Jester got closer to Catwoman, almost nose to nose with the woman. She jabbed her finger into her friend's shoulder accusingly, pinning her with her gaze. "Bugs are contagious. It can't be a bug."

Jonathan's eyes widened and he cleared his throat awkwardly, sipping at his coffee to try and hide his shock. He had an inkling that Catwoman's problem wasn't a virus or bacterial infection of any kind and was something else entirely.

"I'm fine," Catwoman insisted, looking down her nose at Jester. "Do you mind?"

Jester wouldn't back down, examining her friend closely. She suddenly lifted Catwoman's sleep shirt, leaning down to examine her belly. "You got somethin' cookin' in here, kitty?"

"Jesus Christ," Catwoman tugged her shirt back down and shooed Jester away with her hand. "I'm _fine_!"

"Yeah, if 'fine' means 'pregnant,'" Jester quipped, giving her friend a sly grin. "You're pregnant, aren't ya?"

Catwoman pursed her lips together and glared at Jester, leaning back against the kitchen counter and refusing to answer her question. The two women stared each other down, the tension between them rising as the seconds passed, neither woman backing down.

"Oh for cryin' out loud!" Harley huffed and stalked up to both of them, forcing her way in between them. "Just admit you're pregnant, Selina!"

"Well I didn't want it to come out like _this_," Catwoman admitted, sighing. "A lot is going on and I didn't want you to feel pressured to get the boys out." She looked pointedly at Jester and frowned. "I wanted to wait."

"I was only fucking with you," Jester's eyes bulged and her jaw dropped in her shock. "You're _pregnant_?!"

Catwoman smirked, nodding her confirmation. "I am."

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?" Jester clapped her hands over her mouth, muffling a loud squeal of excitement.

Jonathan backed away as the three women began screeching, screaming, and shouting in excitement, hugging each other and jumping up and down. "Jesus," he murmured, sitting down at the kitchen island and sipping at his coffee.

"You shut up," Jester whirled on him, giving him a playful glare. "You love babies and you know it!"

Jonathan gave her a blank look.

"There's gonna be so many babies in this house!" Harley tapped Ace on the nose and began dancing around with him again. "You and Reina are gonna have to teach them everything since you're the oldest."

Catwoman pulled Reina out of her highchair and held her close to her chest, snuggling the quiet baby with a dreamy look on her pretty face. "Can you imagine? I'm going to have one of these."

Jester sighed happily, plopping down into the seat next to Jonathan. "I can't lie, this gives me baby fever." She was too focused on Catwoman to notice the curious expression on Jonathan's face at her statement. He turned his head and looked at her intently as she spoke, listening very carefully. "I know I said no more, but they're just so damn cute. There's something about having a little human growing inside of you, I can't explain it. I kind of miss that feeling."

Harley frowned for only a split second but it didn't escape Jester's notice. "Cheer up, Harls. We'll spring those peckerheads soon and D.S. Can knock ya up."

"We've been goin' at it, ya know," Harley muttered, avoiding her friends' eyes. "It just ain't workin', I guess."

"Be patient, Harley," Jonathan's calm voice soothed her just a little and she met his blue eyes with her own. "It will happen for you. If not, I'll run some tests with Doctor Davis, alright?"

"You're a real swell guy, ya know that?" Harley grinned at him and instantly her mood lifted, much to Jester and Catwoman's relief.

Jonathan waved her off, smiling just a little. "Congratulations, Selina."

"Thanks," Catwoman grinned at him, plopping into a chair at the kitchen table. "So, when do we get those idiots out?"

Jester groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "I've gotta call another meeting, see how the others are doing on their parts. I didn't make Riddler's stupid bracelet."

"We don't need him to get in," Jonathan reminded her. "We got in just fine last time."

"We need access to the cells. The locks aren't a big deal but we need key cards to swipe to get them out unless we hack the entire system." Catwoman sighed, dropping her chin into her hand. "And guess who we would need to hack the entire system?"

"Bowler hat-wearing bastard," Jester grumbled. "Fine, fine. I'll make his stupid bracelet."

"Well our good morning certainly went to shit." Harley laughed, sitting down at the kitchen table with Catwoman. "All ya gotta do is mention the Riddler to kill a mood."

"There must be someone else," Jonathan insisted, scowling. "I'd rather not deal with his incessant riddles and obnoxious narcissism."

"Said the narcissist," Jester teased, kissing his cheek.

"I am not the only one," he defended, giving her a pointed look.

"We live in a house full of them," Catwoman agreed. "Myself included."

"Either way, we need him for much more than just hacking the entire system," Jester reminded them. "I hate to admit it, but he does play an important role in trapping Batman and his rejects."

"Oh, yes. Batman has _never _beaten Riddler at his own game." Jonathan rolled his eyes and huffed. "He will only slow them down, he won't trap them."

"That's the point, handsome," Jester cooed. "Why else do you think I got Mad Hatter and Double-Tap involved? Distractions galore!"

"Sometimes your brilliance irks me," Jonathan muttered, failing to hide his tiny smile from her.

"What about the other part of the plan?" Catwoman was serious now, eyeing Jester from her seat at the kitchen table. "The Funhouse?"

"Luis, Daryl, and Ruiz will be handling that. We'll all have radios to keep in contact with each other throughout the entire thing."

"It's risky," Catwoman raised an eyebrow. "Do you trust that idiot Deckard?"

"No, but I trust Luis and Ruiz. Ruiz will put Deckard down if he has to."

"She's right," Ruiz and Bane entered the kitchen, ignoring the mess and sitting down at the table with the ladies. "Wouldn't be the first time I killed a cop."

"Jesus Christ," Jonathan muttered. "This could go very badly, Jester. This is too risky."

"Ye of little faith!" Jester chided, glaring at him. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," he grasped her hands in his, looking her in the eye. "This is just extremely risky. It's smart, but it's risky."

"My men will be with Ruiz," Bane supplied, attempting to reassure Jonathan. "We will not need them at the prison. They will make sure things go smoothly at the Funhouse."

"See?" Jester motioned towards Bane and Ruiz. "We've got this in the bag, Craney!"

"I spoke with Santos last night," Ruiz said, catching Jonathan's eye. "He's onboard and he's got Deckard under his thumb. They're our best shot at luring the Commissioner, anyway."

Jester folded her arms haughtily over her chest and raised an eyebrow at Jonathan. "Told ya."

*****

**Blackgate Prison:**

Joker's pale face broke out into a grin as his phone lit up with an incoming call from Jester. He sat up on his cot and leaned back against the cold stone wall as he answered, thrilled to hear her voice after all his failed attempts to contact her the night before.

"Hello little bird," he purred.

"_Don't fucking start. I'm only calling to give you a heads-up about the breakout." _Her tone was laced with venom and he frowned slightly. Of course, she'd still be furious with him. He mentally scolded himself for getting his hopes up – he knew her much better than that.

"You've changed your mind?" He shifted and reached under the mattress, pulling out the big book she had given him. He flipped it open to the page he had left off on, intent on reading the rest of _'The Tell-Tale Heart' _once the call ended.

"_No, but I don't have a choice anymore. You have two days."_

Joker mulled it over, smoothing his hair back. "I made other plans, you know."

"_I don't care," _she was still vicious, not letting up or warming up at all to him. _"You can go along with my plan, or you can attempt your own and fail. Be ready at 3 AM."_

"Wait, wait, wait," he rushed the words out in an attempt to stop her from ending the call. "What do you mean you don't have a choice?"

"_Something has come up. It's not my place to tell you, not that I would anyway. You can't be trusted."_

He groaned in frustration, banging his head against the wall. "Jester..."

"_3 AM Friday."_

He snarled when she hung up on him, chucking his phone into the wall and not caring in the slightest if he broke it. It wasn't like it mattered anyway, she had no desire to speak to him and wouldn't be forgiving him anytime soon. "Oh, what tangled webs I weave," he murmured, situating the large book in his lap and trying to calm his racing thoughts so he could focus on his reading.

"_The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct: - it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definiteness – until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears._

_No doubt I now grew very pale; - but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased – and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound – much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath – and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly – more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men – but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! What could I do? I foamed – I raved – I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder – louder – louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! - no, no! They heard! - they suspected! - they knew! - they were making a mockery of my horror! - this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! - and now – again! - hark! Louder! Louder! Louder! Louder! -_

_'Villains!' I shrieked, 'dissemble no more! I admit the deed! - tear up the planks! Here, here! - it is the beating of his hideous heart!'"_

"Yeah, yeah," Joker rolled his eyes, growling to himself. "I get it. I'm guilty. Guilty, guilty, _guilty_."

"Guilty of what exactly?"

Joker's expression turned to stone as Doctor Evans' voice floated into his cell from his tiny barred window. "It's rude to eavesdrop, Doc," he sneered, closing his book and carefully tucking it under his mattress before rising from his cot and making his way to his cell door. "What do you want?"

"It's time for our session," Doctor Evans replied coolly. "It's 10:00."

"We haven't had a session in days. I told you I won't talk unless you let me out of my kennel."

"You told me you wouldn't talk about the _riot_ unless I let you out."

Joker laughed coldly, wagging a finger at her in scolding. She shrank a little under the intensity of his gaze, backing away from the cell door. "That is not what I said, Elise," he chastised her, ignoring the dark look she shot him at his use of her given name. "I told you to let me out and we would talk. Doctor-patient confidentiality, remember?"

"I told you I can't do that," she reminded him, raising an eyebrow at him. "You can't be trusted to be let out of your cell, let alone out of Solitary."

Joker's expression darkened along with his eyes at her words. He inhaled sharply, wrapping one hand tight around the bars of the little window. "I suggest you leave while your flesh is still attached to your bones."

"Is that a threat, Joker?" She challenged him subtly, straightening her spine and meeting his gaze unflinchingly despite the panic creeping into her heart.

"I don't make threats," Joker hissed, narrowing his dark eyes at her. "I make promises."

"Looks like I struck a nerve," Doctor Evans smirked at him, not moving from where she stood. "So, who doesn't trust you?"

"Who does?" He smirked at her.

"You know, you spend 23 hours out of every day locked away in this cell. Other inmates in your position wouldn't be so quick to dismiss their only means of company and conversation."

Joker laughed humorlessly, glaring down at her from the little barred window. "I'm not other inmates, Doc," he growled. "I prefer the solitude."

"Is that why you have a contraband phone?" She wasn't relenting and Joker's patience began to run out.

"You know, Elise," Joker lowered his voice, getting as close as he could to his door. "I'm not going to be locked away in here forever. One day I'll get out of this cell – this prison – and I think my first stop will be your apartment. I wonder... would you still be so confident? Or would you cry and cower, begging me to spare your pathetic, lonely life?"

"Two threats in ten minutes? I must be getting under your skin, Joker." She smirked back at him, ignoring his threat and question entirely. "I think it would be beneficial for you to talk to me about whatever has you so hostile today. I'm here to help, after all."

"You had your chance, Doc," Joker chuckled, shaking his head at her. "You blew it. I asked you for one thing – one _simple_ act to gain my trust – and you ran away, disappearing on me for days."

"I'm not doing that," she snapped, glaring at him. "That will never happen."

"Then why are you still here?" He seethed as he pressed himself up against his cell door, shooting the smug woman a scathing look. He was furious that he couldn't get to her – couldn't get his large, pale hands around her dainty neck and squeeze until he snuffed out her light.

"I'd get the fuck outta here if I were you," Tommy's voice cut through the tension between Joker and Doctor Evans, drawing their attention. "Be thankful that he can't get out of that cell and leave while you still can, lady. You're tempting the devil himself – not a very wise move."

Doctor Evans glanced over at Tommy's cell, catching his brown eyes peering back at her. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. He can't get out of his cell."

"Can't I?" Joker retorted coldly, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled for Frankie, not taking his dark eyes off of the little Doctor.

"I tried to warn you," Tommy sighed, flopping back down onto his cot.

Doctor Evans' eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She shifted her gaze back to Joker just as Frankie reached his cell and pulled his key card from his belt. "What are you doing?" She gave Frankie a horrified look, realizing he was about to let Joker out of his cell. She remembered the previous day when Joker had flashed his wrists at her, showing her he wasn't restrained by any means. "I'll report you, Boles! I'll have you fired and arrested!"

Frankie simply laughed at her as he swiped his key card and opened Joker's cell door. He shook his head at her before turning on his heel and heading back to his post by the door, locking it securely and blocking off the window so no one could see inside from the corridor.

Doctor Evans felt her heart skip a beat and her blood run cold, realizing she'd bitten off way much more than she could chew. She had purposely goaded Joker, cocky and arrogant because he was locked in his cell where she was sure he couldn't get to her. She had heard the rumors that Joker always had guys on the inside in Blackgate and Arkham, but she hadn't realized just how close he kept them. She backed away from his cell door, her eyes as wide as saucers and all the color rapidly draining from her face. She looked behind her, only seeing more cells and other Solitary inmates eyeing her like feral animals, watching and waiting to see what Joker would do to her. She felt sick to her stomach, stumbling as she continued to back away, trying to put as much distance between herself and the psychopath with green hair that was slowly slinking out of his cell.

"I warned you," Joker growled, slowly advancing on her. She gasped when her back hit a wall, realizing she was cornered with nowhere to go. Joker laughed, his eyes lighting up with amusement as he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the throat. "Now, what should I do with ya? Skin you alive and wear your hide as a cape? Strangle you until I see the light leave your eyes? Drown you in my toilet? Maybe let all these other fine gentlemen out to play? I simply can't decide."

"You could let me go," she choked, giving him a pleading look as tears pooled in her amber eyes. "I won't tell anyone anything – about you or Officer Boles. I swear, I won't say a word."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Joker wagged his finger in her face, tutting at her in scolding. "You had your chance, Doc. I told you to leave but you decided to antagonize me instead."

"I'm sorry," she croaked, her face turning red as his grip on her throat tightened. "I didn't mean to -"

"Yes you did," Joker cut her off and chuckled, bringing his face closer to hers. His dark gaze bore into hers, sending chills down her spine when she realized there was no hint of blue to be seen in them anymore. "I'm disappointed, Elise. I thought you were smarter than this. Tell me, are you suicidal? I can't imagine any other reason why you'd purposely goad me."

"No," she gasped, swallowing hard. Her mouth had gone dry and she could barely breathe. She gripped his arm tight in her hands, clawing at him to try and force him to release her but all it did was amuse him further. He grinned at her and his metal grills glinted in the dim lighting, making him look ten times more intimidating and threatening than he had from inside his cell.

"I think I'll let the boys loose. God knows they haven't seen something pretty in ages." He winked at her and whistled once more, keeping his eyes glued to her as Frankie responded.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Let the boys out, Frankie," Joker cackled at the look of terror on Doctor Evans' face and grinned at her. "All of them."

"Wait!" Doctor Evans dug her nails into his arm and tried again to pry it away from her to no avail. "Please don't!"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't, Doc," Joker challenged, patting the side of her cheek harshly with his free hand. It stung a little and she winced, terrified of what he might do next.

"I'll do what you asked," tears began rolling down her cheeks, soaking Joker's hand. He refused to release her, tightening his grip until she was choking, gasping, and spluttering.

"Too late for that," Joker said coldly. "Besides, it's no fun if you only want to do it out of desperation."

She couldn't say a word, crying harder as her vision began to blur and darken. Her bottom lip quivered and she choked on a sob, squeezing her eyes shut and willing herself to try and calm down. If she was going to die – especially by his hand – she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her terrified.

"Oh no you don't," he snapped, slamming her against the wall so hard her head bounced off of it with a sickening thud. "Open your eyes, Elise. _Look at me_!"

"No," she croaked, keeping her eyes squeezed shut. She heard him sigh in exasperation and focused on staying calm, refusing to let him see the fear in her eyes.

She yelped in surprise when she felt her feet leave the floor. She didn't dare open her eyes as she sailed through the air, her stomach doing flips and her heart leaping in her throat as she realized he had thrown her. She braced herself for impact, gritting her teeth and regretting it instantly as her head connected with the cold stone floor. A blinding, white-hot pain shot through her skull and she whimpered, clutching at her head and feeling something wet and sticky at the crown of it. "Oh god," she bit her bottom lip and tried not to cry out again, writhing on the ground where she lay. She was dazed and terrified, unable to force herself up off of the floor. The pain was excruciating and she couldn't stop the tears that continued to stream down her face as she lay there helplessly, begging God to show her mercy and let her death be quick.

"It didn't have to be like this, Elise," Joker drawled, kicking her hard in the ribs and cackling when she screamed in pain. "I gave you a chance – I offered you a deal. I saw potential in you! What a waste." Another kick to her ribs and another scream from her. She wasn't sure what terrified her more – his cruel laughter, the pain he was inflicting on her, or the fact that she knew Officer Boles was watching and wouldn't do a damn thing to help her.

"Look at me," he barked, crouching down and gripping her face roughly in his hand. "Open your eyes or I will rip your eyelids off. Make a decision."

Her eyes snapped open and she cringed as she came face-to-face with the Clown Prince of Crime, black-eyed and furious.

"Listen up, Doc. I'm going to kill you right here in this filthy hole. When I'm done, Frankie over there will stuff your body into a trash bag and bring it to the morgue where he'll proceed to cremate you. You'll be a missing person. There will be search parties for the pretty, ambitious little Doctor working hard to try and land a job at Arkham. After about a week or two, they'll stop looking for you. They'll come to terms with the fact that you've been dead all this time; yet another person among _thousands_ of others whose remains will never, ever be recovered in this shit hole city."

Doctor Evans sobbed, squeezing her eyes shut again and curling into a ball, fear crawling up her spine and making her sick to her stomach. She screamed and flailed when he grabbed her by her hair, yanking her backward and dragging her back towards his cell. "No one can hear you down here, Elise," he whispered coldly. "If you keep screaming like that, I'll drag this out. I can think of a dozen ways to mutilate and torture you without killing you."

"Please," she begged, looking up at him from the floor of his cell where he dumped her. He closed the door behind him, staying in front of it to prevent her from getting out. "Please don't."

"Would you just kill the bitch already?" Deadshot's annoyed voice interrupted them and Joker chuckled. "Don't make me come over there and knock her ass out."

"C'mon, Floyd! I haven't gotten to play in awhile, let me have my fun," Joker giggled at Deadshot's annoyed scoff in response to him.

"I'll do anything," Doctor Evans pleaded, sitting up on her knees. "I swear, I'll do anything you want me to."

Joker's giggles ceased immediately and he shifted his gaze to her, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? _Anything_, you say?"

"Anything," she promised, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "Please, Joker."

"Fuck me." His expression was serious as he came closer to her, perching on the edge of his bed.

"Wh-what?"

"I don't like repeating myself, Doc," Joker said coldly.

"I don't – what about... are you _serious_?"

"Do I look like I'm fucking joking, Elise?" Joker fisted a hand in her hair and yanked her off the floor, dragging her over to him. "Strip."

She bit her bottom lip as hard as she could, forcing herself not to cry or whimper as his dark eyes raked over her. He leaned back a little where he sat, slowly unbuttoning his jumpsuit.

"Today, Doc."

She nodded, ignoring the way her cheeks burned with her embarrassment and nervousness as she unzipped her pencil skirt, letting it drop to the floor as she reached up to unbutton her blouse. She found herself mesmerized as she watched Joker shrug out of the sleeves of his jumpsuit, pulling the top half of it down and tying it around his waist. He was bare underneath it and she marveled at his tattoos and physique again, unable to help herself.

"See somethin' you like?" He was taunting her with a smug smirk.

She didn't answer, slipping her blouse off and standing before him only clad in her bra, panties, and kitten heels.

"C'mere," he beckoned her over with a large, tattooed hand. "Give Daddy a kiss."

She slowly moved closer to him, swallowing down the bile that crept up her throat at the thought of what she was about to do. She put a brave face on, lifting her chin as she moved towards him in an attempt to salvage what little dignity she had left. She sat on his lap, licking her lips to wet them as his strong, muscular arms wrapped around her waist and he brought his face closer to hers.

"Scared?" His breath ghosted across her lips and she shivered, horrified that she felt the slightest attraction to him and excitement at that moment.

She rested her hands on his bare shoulders, meeting his gaze with her own and giving him a hard look. "Not at all," she kept her voice calm and even.

Joker's hand tangled in her hair and he pulled her closer to him, licking his lips to tease her. He giggled when she instinctively moved closer, turning her face and going in for the kill. Just before their lips connected, he roughly dumped her out of his lap and to the floor, cackling like a madman. "You won't kill a guard but you'd fuck _me_? Your morals are all over the place, Doc."

"What the fuck?" She seethed, grabbing her shirt and clutching it to her chest as his eyes bore into hers. "Was that some kind of fucked up test?"

"You know, you've got some real potential." He crudely motioned towards her covered chest. "If Arkham doesn't pan out for ya, you can always work at my club."

"Excuse me?"

"I run a strip joint, sweetheart. You'd make a nice addition to the place."

She had no idea what came over her or possessed her to do it, but she shot up to her feet and slapped him as hard as she could across his face. Dropping her blouse to the cold floor of his cell, she lost control – punching and clawing at him in her rage and humiliation. She wasn't thinking, just acting on instinct and letting her rage fuel her actions.

Joker laughed, letting her have a moment to take her anger out on him before he snatched her wrists and gripped them tightly, stopping her wild attacks and making her cry out in pain as he nearly snapped them in half. "Tell ya what, Doc," his eyes were back to their usual icy blue color and if she wasn't stark-raving mad at the moment, she would've sighed in relief. "I'm gonna let ya go, but only under a few conditions, you understand?"

"What?" She glared at him, trying with all her might to wrench her wrists out of his grip and wailing when he bent them backwards enough to cause her excruciating pain without breaking the bones.

"Careful," he warned, looking her right in the eye. "I'm gonna let ya go, but only if you promise to do what I tell you."

She didn't say a word, continuing to glare at him. She wasn't about to put herself in his debt, she knew better than that. Then again, she didn't have much of a choice.

"You're gonna leave right now – without your blouse and skirt, though. Those belong to me now. Call it insurance." He freed up a hand to clap over her mouth, stopping her protests. "Don't _ever_ interrupt me," he barked. "You're gonna go home and wait for my boys to deliver a package to you. Do _not_ open it. Come back here at 1 AM sharp Friday morning and bring the package with you."

"You're breaking out," she accused, her eyebrows knitting together. "No way. I'm not helping you get out, I won't be responsible for that. You'll kill everyone."

"I'm going to fucking kill _you_ if you continue to disrespect and disobey me," he snapped, his eyes flashing black for a moment as he fought off his Madness.

"You'll kill me anyway," she retorted. "We both know you'll kill me during the breakout."

"I never said that," Joker said coolly, releasing her wrists. "You're tempting me to, though."

"Why me? Why not have Officer Boles do it? Why are you forcing me to get involved?"

"Frankie needs to be here to do his part," Joker said nonchalantly. "I don't wanna force ya, Doc, but I will if I have to. I'm letting you live, that should be enough motivation for you to do as I say." He lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Don't make me send Frankie up to the employee lounge with your clothes and explain to all those pompous creeps that he found your clothes in my cell. They'd all think I _fucked_ you. I can only imagine how much worse the harassment will be when you come in tomorrow morning for your shift..."

"You're disgusting," she spat venomously, balling her hands into fists. "I hate you."

"That's funny coming from the woman who just tried to kiss me." He grinned at her, mocking her.

"You told me to _fuck_ you – you were going to kill me!"

Joker burst out laughing, his icy blue eyes glittering with malice. "I didn't force you, sweetheart. You tried to kiss me of your own accord. You know who my other half is – do you really believe I'd rape you? I saw that look on your face when you were about to kiss me. You _wanted_ me."

"Fuck you," she seethed, putting some distance between them.

"Sorry to break your heart, Doc, but I've got that area covered." Joker shot her a smug look, laying back on his cot and folding his arms under his head. "Go home. It's gonna be a cold walk to your car. I hope you have a change of clothes or a jacket somewhere around here."

"I hope you die," she hissed, furiously wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand as a fresh round of angry tears leaked from them. "You are a fucking _monster_."

"Oh, don't I know it," Joker mused, wiggling his fingers at her as she did her best to cover herself with her arms and stormed out of his cell. He glanced at her blouse and skirt on the floor and outright laughed, amused at how easy it was to scare and manipulate her into doing his bidding. He wasn't worried about her cruel words, she'd do what he told her to. Once his goons showed up at her door with the package, reality would set in and she'd realize she can't escape him. If he wanted to, he could kill her or have her killed any time, and she would know it for a fact.

He lazily reached for his phone, picking it up off the floor and examining it closely. Surprisingly, it was still intact with only a few minor scratches here and there. He ran his tongue along his teeth, typing up a message to Jester and hoping she'd respond. He couldn't shake the awful nagging feeling he had that she was much angrier than she seemed and he would have one hell of a time earning her forgiveness. If he knew her at all – and he knew her well – she was going to put all four of them through the 9 circles of Hell before she even _considered_ forgiving them. She was stubborn, proud, and didn't take kindly to lies, deceit, or betrayal of any kind. He sent the message and ran his hands over his face and through his hair, fighting off the urge to pace his cell. He knew the pacing would do him no good, only driving him twice as insane as he waited for a response that probably wasn't going to come.

"Monster isn't the word, Doc," he muttered, staring up at the damp, dark ceiling.

*****

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **Thank you for the awesome reviews! I will get around to messaging you individually as soon as I can. Things are hectic around here! We're getting closer to the big breakout and I've got some seriously dark things planned :)

I know I usually put all of this at the beginning of each chapter, but I noticed the dividers I use are no longer working for some reason so I was forced to reformat the chapters. I hope it isn't too drastic of a change or confusing for you guys! Hope you enjoyed!

Also, putting out chapters will prove to be difficult for awhile - there is a virus on my computer where I do all of my writing and save all of my work and I cannot use it anymore so I have to rely on my shitty little iPhone 7. Bear with me, folks! Xoxo


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Still trying to churn these chapters out with my phone. This virus nonsense is getting on my last nerve._

* * *

**Port Adams Docks – Warehouse Meeting:**

"You can't just give us two days notice and expect us to have everything ready!" Riddler was red-faced and huffing in his seat. "This is preposterous!"

Jonathan rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, annoyed by Riddler's outburst. "Aren't you a self-proclaimed genius?" He smirked when Riddler glared at him. "Surely _you_ can work under pressure."

"Your witty little remarks are starting to grate on me, Crane."

"_Doctor_ Crane," Jonathan corrected haughtily, narrowing his eyes at Riddler.

"Narcissist," Riddler spat, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Pot, kettle," Jonathan chuckled, amusing himself by goading the madman.

"Enough," Jester growled, glaring at both men. "This is a chance for all of us to work together to put a stop to the Bat-Family. If any of you want to back out, that's fine, but this is happening with or without your help."

"I'm in," Copperhead grinned at Jester, her glowing snake eyes lighting up with glee. "The sooner, the better."

"That's the spirit!" Harley winked at Copperhead and grinned wickedly at her. She threw an arm around the snake hybrid and looked around the table, taking stock of the attendees.

"Why the sudden rush? We weren't supposed to do this for another week or two."

Jonathan clenched his jaw at the sound of Double-Tap's voice and fought Scarecrow off as he tried to surge forward.

"You were there, Tap," Jester said coolly, pinning the man with her gaze. "They're on Death Row and only avoided execution after the riot by a hair. We can't wait any longer."

"Good riddance. I have no sympathy for the Clown," Two-Face drawled, taking a huge puff of his cigar and rudely blowing the cloud of smoke in Catwoman's direction.

Catwoman glared daggers at him and flexed her claws before swiping at the cloud to disperse it. "Prick," she hissed.

Two-Face winked at her and smirked, both of his expressions smug.

"Careful, Harvey. You don't want me to lose my temper, do you?" Jester leveled Two-Face with a nasty glare. "If you want out, then leave. You won't get any credit for taking down the Batman, though."

"I've been doing this a long time, doll face. You don't scare me. I can take the Batman down myself without you clowns."

Jonathan couldn't fight Scarecrow off this time. The demon surged forward and seized control, growling at Two-Face. His dual voice cut through the tension in the room and caused a few attendees to shudder as he spoke. "Watch it, Dent," he warned, "or I'll burn the other half of you so badly that the first time will seem like child's play in comparison."

Ruiz, Officer Santos, Catwoman, Harley, and Copperhead snickered at this, not even bothering to hide their collective amusement. Officer Deckard shuddered violently as memories of the night before assaulted his mind.

"What the hell is wrong with _you_?" Two-Face cocked his head to the side, staring intently at Scarecrow's orange rimmed irises.

Bane snorted a laugh. "Coming from the man who looks like burnt toast."

Copperhead burst out laughing, burying her head in her arms on the tabletop. Harley cackled wickedly beside her.

"I wonder if you _bleed_ venom," Two-Face spat, glaring at both Bane and Copperhead as he pulled his gun.

"Don't ya think you're bein' a little dramatic, Harvey?" Harley raised an eyebrow at Two-Face. "We're just havin' some fun!"

"The jury is still out on that one," Two-Face retorted.

"Are you all clear on the plan?" Jester raked a hand through her hair in frustration. "Any questions?"

"None," Officer Santos grinned at her from his seat across the table beside his partner. "We're clear."

Jester smiled back at him, settling down just a little. She was thankful for his compliance and calm demeanor, it was nice to know not everyone she called to the meeting was a jackass with an attitude problem.

Two-Face pulled out his trusty coin and looked Jester in the eye. "Heads – I do the job. Tails – I don't, and I don't come to another one of these ridiculous gatherings."

"No threat to pair with tails, Harvey? I'm a little insulted." Jester grinned wickedly at him and watched as he scowled and tossed the coin up in the air before catching it and flipping it onto the back of his other hand. "Well?"

"Heads," Two-Face bit out, glaring at everyone around the table.

"Everyone else?" Jester ignored Two-Face and scanned the rest of the attendees, waiting patiently for their answers.

"Ten-four," Double-Tap quipped, avoiding Scarecrow's burning eyes.

"Where's my bracelet?" Riddler raised his eyebrows at Jester and leaned forward in his seat. "You promised me a bracelet, Jester."

"Jesus Christ." Jester rolled her eyes and pulled the bracelet from her pocket, tossing it carelessly across the table in his direction.

Riddler caught it in both hands and grinned as he read the beads on the bright neon green bracelet. "I'm tickled," he mused, giggling at the word she had chosen for him: _'Leprechaun'_.

"Boles?" Bane's booming voice drew everyone's attention.

"Crystal," Frankie confirmed, scrubbing a hand down his face. "Ivy's little plants aren't gonna turn me into a drooling spore zombie, right?"

"Not as long as you stay down in Solitary," Catwoman assured him. "She knows not to let her spores loose down there. I'd still suggest a mask just in case."

Frankie nodded, trying not to let his nervousness show. He hid it well, but Scarecrow saw right through him. Scarecrow said nothing, letting the man's inner turmoil eat away at him for his amusement.

"I'm looking very forward to working with you ladies," Copperhead hissed, flicking her forked tongue out. "This will be fun."

"Hell yeah it will," Harley chirped, pumping her fist in the air. "Girl power, am I right?"

Catwoman chuckled and shook her head. "Yeah, Harls. Girl power."

"So much to do, so little time!" Mad Hatter looked pained and paranoid, twitching a little in his seat in the corner under his large, ridiculous top hat.

"Do we really need this guy?" Double-Tap jabbed his thumb in Mad Hatter's direction and gave Jester a withering look. "He's mentally fucked seven ways from Sunday."

"So are the rest of us, Tap," Jester sighed. "Listen, Hatter. If you don't find Alice before the breakout, she'll probably be inside the prison. Maybe she's playing hide and seek with you."

"Oh, that clever girl," Mad Hatter growled. "That wicked, clever girl!"

"Right," Scarecrow drawled, draping a protective arm over Jester's shoulders. The look Mad Hatter was fixing her with put him on edge. "Be here at 2:30 Friday morning. Don't be late."

The room cleared out and Jester felt like she could breathe again. The tension in the warehouse during the meeting was so thick it was suffocating and grated on her. Just before she reached the door, Officer Santos called out to her. He had hung back while Officer Deckard went to warm up their undercover car. "A word, Miss Jester?"

"You don't have to be so formal, you know," Jester nudged him with her elbow and leaned against the wall, smiling at Scarecrow as he passed by her to go outside and warm up the Range Rover. "What's up, Luis? You don't have cold feet, do ya?"

"No, not at all." He stood just a couple of feet away from her, keeping a respectful distance. "I just wanted to make sure you really want to do this. Don't get me wrong, I'm on board; but what you're planning at the Funhouse goes against everything you stand for."

"I know," she sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Sometimes you gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelet, you know?"

"I can do it for you," he offered, giving her a serious look. "I'm not naive enough to think this will be easy for you. I can do it instead – or we can hand her off to the Mad Hatter. She's blonde, I'm sure it would work."

Jester chuckled dryly. "It's alright, Luis. I can do it. It has to be me – I want him to watch me do it. I want him to know how badly he fucked up treating my cousin that way. I want him to know he has no power anymore, Batman or not."

"You're cold as ice," Officer Santos mused. "Alright. If you change your mind, you've got my number."

"Thanks, _Officer._" Jester gave him a quick one-armed hug and made her way to the door. "Watch that partner of yours. I don't trust him. If he steps out of line, Ruiz will put him down like a rabid dog."

"Roger that," he nodded and opened the door for her, letting her precede him outside onto the cold dock.

* * *

**The Mansion Safe House:**

Jester glared daggers at her phone screen, fighting back her Darkness as it clawed at her and begged to be let loose. She had just gotten back home from the long, aggravating meeting with the others and she was not in the mood to deal with Joker's manipulation.

"What's the matter, my love?" Jonathan came into the living room and set a big bowl of salad down on the table along with a large everything pizza. He pulled some napkins from his pocket and set them down before putting down the forks he brought for them. "Is it Joker?"

"He thinks he's gonna just weasel his way back into my good graces, the bastard," she spat, cranking her arm back to throw the phone in her rage.

Jonathan caught her arm and wrenched her phone out of her fist, giving her a scolding look. "May I?"

"Go ahead. I'm sure you're gonna hear it day in and day out when the fucker is back home." Jester scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest, her expression reflecting her fury.

Jonathan sighed and raked a hand through his hair as he opened the text message Jester was so angry about.

_'I wish you didn't hang up on me. I wanted to tell you I'm sorry – really, really sorry. I should have told you about the Doctor. I fucked up, Jester, and I know that. Despite how mad you are at me, I can't wait to see your beautiful face on Friday. I hope you'll stick with me while we execute your flawless, genius plan; nothing would make me happier than to have you by my side. I also wanna talk about us getting married. All of this time apart is driving me insane, I wanna tie the knot with ya as soon as possible. I was thinkin' we could do it somewhere nice like at the club or the house. I hope you'll call me, but I'll understand if you don't. I'll see ya soon. I love you, Songbird. Give Ace a kiss for me.' _

"Hmm," Jonathan ignored the way his heart twinged as he finished reading the text, shoving his jealousy aside for the moment. "I'm assuming you're angry because he brought up the wedding?"

"He's delusional if he thinks he's gonna come home and marry me right away," Jester growled. "A shitty apology via text isn't gonna fix this, and neither is a wedding."

"Understandable," Jonathan agreed. "Come on, let's have some lunch while the babies are still asleep and then I'll run a nice bath for you."

Jester said nothing, leaning forward where she sat and snatching up a slice of pizza. They ate in silence, watching TV and enjoying each others' company.

Jonathan tried not to think about Joker's words or the inevitable wedding between the two clowns, refusing to let it bring down his mood. Jester was already in a sour enough mood and he wanted to focus on cheering her up and making sure the rest of the day was relaxing for her. He was a little miffed that she would only have today and tomorrow to rest, relax and decompress, but it was better than nothing at all.

Once they were done eating he cleaned up quickly before bringing her upstairs and running a hot bath for her. He waited until she was in and relaxing in the hot water with her eyes closed before excusing himself to go tend to the babies. He could hear them stirring on the monitor and smiled a little as he made his way to the nursery. He was surprised and a little apprehensive when he found Doctor Mills in the nursery, standing just inside the doorway and watching the two babies intently. The dogs didn't seem the least bit concerned about Doctor Mills' presence in the room, both of them laying in front of the crib and eyeing him curiously. He looked a lot better than he had when they first found him – his bruises and cuts were fading and healing nicely and he had some color to him. He was all cleaned up with trimmed facial hair and his hair styled nicely. Jonathan noticed he was wearing one of Tommy's t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants and chuckled, amused at how strange it was to see another man in Tommy's clothes.

"Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that such a sweet child was created by the likes of Joker," Scarecrow mused, slipping into the room and making his way to the crib. "Hello, little ones." He grinned down at both babies as they cooed and smiled at him, excited to see him as they always were.

"I hope he stays that way," Doctor Mills spoke under his breath but Jonathan caught it and chuckled.

"He certainly won't be as... _eccentric_ as Joker. Jester _is_ his mother, after all."

"Speaking of Jester, where is she? I want to talk to her."

Jonathan sighed, making quick work of changing both babies. "She's enjoying a nice hot bath at the moment. She'll be around later at dinner if you'll join us. Things have been rough lately and she hasn't had any time to relax and spend with Ace."

"I see." Doctor Mills came to Jonathan's side and carefully scooped Reina into his arms, ignoring the surprised look on Jonathan's face. "Where do we bring them?"

"Downstairs, they need to be fed. I can give you a tour of the house and make introductions afterward if you'd like."

Doctor Mills nodded, following Jonathan out of the nursery and letting a tiny smile stretch across his lips as Reina cooed at him and snuggled into his chest.

"Double Doc trouble," Harley mused, winking at both men as they entered the kitchen. "How ya feelin', Abercrombie?"

Doctor Mills rolled his eyes and huffed, annoyed at the nickname they had unceremoniously given him. "You can call me Brian, Harley," he drawled. "I feel fine, thank you. Just a bit disoriented, I suppose."

Jonathan laughed, fixing up bottles for the babies. "You'll get used to it."

"Take it from two Doctors who used to be in your position, Bri – you'll have lots of fun with us. You won't wanna go back to your boring, normal life." Harley grinned at him and popped a baby carrot into her mouth from the vegetable tray she was snacking on at the kitchen island.

"I'm not so sure about that," Doctor Mills argued, looking around the massive kitchen and marveling at how beautiful it was.

"If you didn't have a darkness deep inside of you – like the rest of us – you never would have fallen for Jester," Jonathan quipped, smirking as he tested the two bottles on his inner wrist.

"I'm not the only one who did," Doctor Mills crossed his arms defensively over his chest, shooting Jonathan a scathing look.

"That's correct," Jonathan admitted. "She's magnetic."

"I love that broad," Harley chirped, munching happily on another carrot. "She saved my life, ya know."

Doctor Mills shifted his gaze to Harley and raised an eyebrow at her. "She did?"

"Yeah. Remember that story she told about how she got all -" Harley motioned to herself, from her whitish-blonde hair to her white face and hands, "clown-ish?"

"I do," Doctor Mills chuckled at that and Jonathan did too, both of them amused at the memory of Jester trolling Doctor Leland and Doctor Cleary with her bleach story.

"I know I ain't gotta tell ya it was a lie. The truth is Mistah J threw me into a vat of chemicals to kill me and she jumped in after me to save me. I can't swim, and my hands were zip-tied anyway."

Doctor Mills' eyes bulged and he looked at Harley incredulously. "Joker tried to kill you and you're living here with him? You, Jester and Joker seem like the three stooges together... how the hell do you get along with him so well after that?"

Harley laughed, giving a half shrug. "I woke up mad at first, ya know? He ignored me which made me even angrier, but then he brought Jestah to see me and she was just like me, and she was nice. I guess I just let it go, ya know? I don't really hold grudges. I was just happy to be alive and my hair is really pretty, so it was kinda easy to get over."

Jonathan chuckled into the back of his hand, shaking his head at Harley's candidness. "Oh, Harley," he mused, squeezing her shoulder in an affectionate gesture. "You're a gem."

"I know," she quipped, grinning at Jonathan. "Everybody's different, Doc. My little accident made me better. I never wanna go back to the woman I used to be – I'm much happier with who I am now. Jestah's the same way. She wouldn't go back."

"I wouldn't either," Jonathan admitted. "Granted, I didn't fall into a vat of acid, but I wasn't always like this."

"What happened to you?" Doctor Mills looked curiously at Jonathan as he handed Reina to Harley so he was free to feed Ace.

"Are you asking me from a professional's perspective?"

"Touche," Doctor Mills countered. "I'm not trying to psychoanalyze you two. I'm just curious."

"Childhood trauma," Jonathan answered, pinning Doctor Mills with his gaze. "Childhood trauma changed me. Harboring a demon inside me didn't exactly help, either."

Doctor Mills paled at the mention of Scarecrow and swallowed hard. "Right. That thing."

"He prefers the name Scarecrow," Jonathan chuckled, burping Ace over his shoulder. "He has no qualms with you. He finds you amusing."

"Comforting," Doctor Mills muttered, stunned at how domestic Jonathan Crane and Harley Quinn looked in this moment as they fed and burped two infants and carried on a casual conversation as if they weren't violent psychopaths capable of snapping and killing him at any minute.

He sat down at the kitchen table a safe distance away from both of them, trying not to stare as they did normal things like normal people. Never in his life did he imagine he'd ever be sitting at the kitchen table in the Joker's safe house surrounded by Rogues that were just as dangerous as the Clown Prince himself. Before they found him at the Funhouse, the last time he saw them was in Arkham during group therapy – Arkham, where they were patients and he was a Doctor. Arkham, where he was safe – or so he thought. Now he was trapped in a house with more of them, terrified of what would happen to him once Joker broke out of Blackgate and made it back home.

"Hey! Breathe, pal. You look like you're gonna keel over." Harley cocked her head at him and frowned a little, looking a bit concerned. "We ain't gonna kill ya, Bri. Relax! Have a snack or somethin.'"

Doctor Mills blushed a little, embarrassed at being called out. "Thanks," he muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sure you're starving," Jonathan's voice drew his attention and he met the man's gaze. "Help yourself to whatever you'd like. I must be getting back to Jester."

Doctor Mills felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Jonathan make his way out of the kitchen with Ace, heading up to Jester's bedroom. He knew better than to say anything – he didn't want to die, after all – but he hated that he had to wait like some kind of lapdog for Jester to free up some time to talk to him while everyone else just came and went as they pleased with her.

"How 'bout a movie?" Harley smiled reassuringly at him, grabbing the large vegetable platter she was picking at and shuffling out of the kitchen with Reina.

He followed her reluctantly, reminding himself that he could still be at the Funhouse or, even worse – dead.

* * *

"So, what was it like seeing Zsasz again?"

Catwoman tried to break the awkward silence at the dinner table. She smirked at Jester and folded her hands under her chin as she waited for a response.

"Go downstairs and find out for yourself," Jester smirked back at her friend and shot her a wink. "He's locked up in Scarecrow's gas chamber."

"Wait a minute," Doctor Mills paled, gripping his wine glass so tight he nearly cracked it as he set it back down on the table. "Zsasz as in _Victor_ Zsasz? He's _here_? In a gas chamber?"

"I keep forgetting he isn't one of us," Ruiz shot Doctor Mills a pitying look and set his fork down, politely wiping his mouth before he continued. "That's not the craziest part. He's back from the dead."

"WHAT?"

Everyone at the table, including Doctor Davis, laughed at Doctor Mills' shock.

"Ruiz, you're going to give the man a heart attack," Bane teased, grinning wickedly at Doctor Mills. "Mortifera killed Zsasz when she made her identity known to the Rogues."

"I'm so fucking confused." Doctor Mills' bewildered gaze swung to Jester and she chuckled, giving him her undivided attention.

"I emptied my clip on the bastard and had him tossed into the river. After all these months he's been brought back to life by none other than Doctor Hugo Strange."

Jonathan scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Wait a minute... before we get into zombie specs, you mentioned he's locked up in Scarecrow's gas chamber. What are you, a neo-Nazi?"

"I resent the implication," Jonathan bit out in his dual voice, his orange-rimmed eyes boring into Doctor Mills'. "Have you forgotten about my fear gas, Doctor Mills?"

"Right," Doctor Mills turned a bright shade of scarlet and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry."

Jonathan flicked his wrist in dismissal and looked at Jester. "I'm glad we're talking about this – what will we do with him while we're busy with the breakout? I don't trust him here alone with the two Doctors and the little ones."

Jester bit her lip and tilted her head to the side, taking a moment to mull it over. Jonathan was right – Victor Zsasz was just sneaky enough to escape if he wanted to. "Shit."

"I could stay behind," Catwoman offered. "Copperhead can take my place."

"I wasn't going to make you stay behind," Jester frowned at her. "I hated it when Joker tried to keep me home for the Arkham breakout. Are you sure you want to stay behind?"

"It's better that way," Harley interrupted. "Don't want the little one getting all banged up, ya know?"

"What are you guys talking about?" Ruiz raised an eyebrow at Catwoman. "Did I miss something?"

"I'm pregnant," Catwoman was so nonchalant about it that Bane, Ruiz, Doctor Mills, and Doctor Davis didn't react at first. It took them a few moments to process what she said. Before any of them could string a sentence together, the door to the dining room burst open and Poison Ivy stormed her way into the room looking excited and angry all at once with her vines snapping wildly around her.

"When exactly were you planning on telling me, Selina?"

"Jesus fucking Christ," Doctor Mills clutched at his chest and gasped for air, scared out of his wits by Poison Ivy's intrusion.

"Oh, it's the model man. Nice to see you again, dear," Poison Ivy shot him a wink and he blushed, giving her a weak smile in return.

"Sorry, Red! I meant to tell you, it's just been a busy day. I wasn't planning on telling anyone yet but Jester kinda called me out this morning." Catwoman winced at the withering glare Poison Ivy shot her.

Bane banged his fist down on the table in his excitement and his voice boomed in the small dining room. "Congratulations! This is wonderful news!"

"Does Tommy know?" Poison Ivy settled herself down in a chair between Harley and Jester and pinned Catwoman with her gaze. "I assume this is why we're breaking the men out Friday instead of... well, _never_." Her gaze flicked to Jester and she chuckled at the dark look Jester fixed her with.

"No, and yes," Catwoman confirmed. "I'll tell him once they're home and things have cooled down."

"Well, while they're all busy being super-criminals, I can give you a routine examination if you'd like. You can hear the heartbeat." Doctor Davis smiled brightly at Catwoman and looked just as excited as everyone else in the room.

"I'd like that," Catwoman smiled back at her.

* * *

The next morning, everyone except for Catwoman, Doctor Davis and Doctor Mills suited up to spar. Jester and Bane thought it would be a good idea to prepare themselves for the upcoming breakout. They all had specific roles to play, goals to achieve, and 'charges' to kill, hold hostage, or distract and they needed to be on their game. Jester, Harley, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and Bane needed to be at their best – they were all going head-to-head with the Bat-Family during the entirety of the breakout as they executed Jester's master plan.

"Again!" Bane barked, beckoning Harley forward with his hand. "Harder this time, Payasa!"

Harley rushed him with her bat and swung for his head with all of her strength, connecting with his shoulder when he moved out of her way and gritting her teeth as the contact strained her muscles. "Dammit!" She was tired, frustrated, and angry and she wasn't getting anywhere with Bane. He had successfully deflected all of her usual hits and tricks and her bat wasn't any help against the behemoth of a man. Despite her agility and acrobatic abilities, Bane was beating the hell out of her.

"Take a break." Bane pat her on the head and motioned towards the deck where everyone was bundled up in winter jackets and boots to ward off the cold and the snow. "Your anger is clouding your judgment and making you too predictable and sloppy. When you are calm, we will try again."

"Yeah, yeah," she spat, dragging her bat along behind her in the snow as she trudged back up to the deck. "You're up," she tapped Scarecrow – who was in his true form – on the shoulder and the demon chuckled.

"Tagging me in, Harley?"

"This will be fun," Bane laughed boisterously, grinning at Scarecrow. "I look forward to seeing what you can do, El Demonio."

Scarecrow grinned back as he draped a heavy blanket over Jester to keep her warm in his absence. They had a fire going in the pit but Jester preferred cuddling up to him for warmth. He leaned down to stroke her hair and sighed when she kissed his burlap-covered cheek. "Wish me luck, gorgeous," he purred, lightly scraping his claws down her cheek.

"You don't need it," she gave him a coy look and he noticed that familiar spark in her eyes. He growled low in his throat, only loud enough for her to hear.

"Try not to sustain too many injuries during your spars, my love. I have a different kind of workout planned for us later."

Jester bit her lip and smirked at him. "Naughty," she purred, stroking his bare chest with her fingertips. "Now go. I wanna watch."

Scarecrow laughed and straightened up, melting the snow and ice as he made his way into the yard and towards Bane. Steam rose from the tracks he left in the snow and everyone stared in amazement at the sight of the charred earth he left in his wake. He stretched his long limbs and cackled, flexing his claws at Bane as he circled him. "It has been far too long since I've had a proper match, Luchador."

"Then I am honored to be a worthy opponent," Bane grinned at Scarecrow and readied himself.

Doctor Mills visibly flinched as Scarecrow and Bane clashed violently, both of them giving as good as they got. Scarecrow was careful not to release any of his Fear Toxin and Bane did not use his Venom, making it a fair fight for both of them.

"This is a normal day here, really," Jester assured Doctor Mills, peering over at him from where she was huddled on the sofa. "We spar a lot."

"This is the furthest thing from normal for me," Doctor Mills argued. "It's not every day I see a giant glowing demon and the likes of Bane sparring in the snow."

Jester chuckled at his comment and shifted so she was lying down comfortably. "Jonathan told me you wanted to talk to me. Spill, Doc."

He scooted his chair over to the couch Jester was occupying and inhaled sharply, trying to piece together everything he wanted to say as eloquently as possible. It was one thing to imagine this discussion in his mind the way he had a thousand times, it was another to be in front of her with her gaze piercing right through him. He swallowed and gripped his knees to hide his sweaty palms from her, hoping she wouldn't pick up on his anxiety. He kept his eyes locked on hers and he straightened his spine to try and exude some kind of confidence. "I was angry with you for a long time," he began, willing his voice not to waver or wobble from his nervousness. "The morning after the Arkham breakout, I woke up on the ground in front of my front door with a monstrous migraine and no idea where I was. I couldn't move, I couldn't stand, I couldn't remember anything from the night before. I threw up all over my doormat, so nauseous I couldn't even breathe without vomiting. All I could remember as I lay there helplessly was running through the corridors towards the cafeteria to find you. I heard from the guards that you and Joker had gotten into a fight and that he was harming you."

Jester nodded slowly, taking in everything he was saying. She stayed silent, letting him speak his mind and get everything off of his chest. She looked him in the eye as he spoke, making sure he knew he had her undivided attention.

"It was sometime around midnight when I was finally able to drag myself through my front door and into my house. I turned on the news and saw the coverage of the breakout – _everyone_ died, Jester. All of the staff on duty during the breakout either succumbed to Scarecrow's Fear Toxin or Joker Venom or were killed by other inmates and, well... you guys. As the day progressed, I remembered bits and pieces of things – I remembered succumbing to Scarecrow's Fear Toxin and seeing horrible, awful things and screaming bloody murder. Flashes of that nightmare still haunt my mind to this day – I don't sleep well at night, you see. I have nightmares every night and I wake up in a cold sweat with my heart pounding in my chest each time, scared out of my mind. I also remembered you shocking the hell out of me in the ECT room and Joker grinning at me as you did. You see, Jester, I was angry at you because I was convinced you did it to torture me. I thought you were enjoying it as some kind of wicked, demented payback for my attempts at gaining your trust. I knew that Joker knew you were hurting me when I saw that wicked look on his face, and I knew he was taking great pleasure in my suffering."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Doc," Jester spoke softly, reaching out a hand and resting it on top of one of his. "I was trying to help you."

"I know that now." Doctor Mills gave her a small smile and placed his free hand on top of hers. "Joker told me the truth. See, I went to Giggles that night looking for a fight with someone – anyone! I was homeless, I was broke, I was miserable... I lost my job, my career was destroyed, and because I was the only survivor everyone accused me of being an accomplice. I was angry and drunk and all I wanted was an outlet for my rage or an end to my misery." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "I was angry when Joker refused to kill me."

"I'm sorry," Jester murmured, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb to try and soothe him. "I didn't know all of that."

"How could you?" He squeezed her hand gently. "I didn't think you'd be keeping tabs on me. I'm glad you didn't. Knowing now that you tried to save me, I can't help but think you would've found me and tried to help."

"I would have," she confirmed. "I care about you, Brian. Not in the way you want, but I do. You're a good man and that's why I helped you. You have the potential to do so much good – to help people. Not people like us," she motioned around them to her friends who weren't even trying to hide the fact that they were eavesdropping as they watched Bane and Scarecrow spar. "But people like you – people that had a shitty hand dealt to them and need support."

"Not anymore," he looked dejected as he said it, his head drooping slightly. "Now I'm one of those people. When Joker and Johnny approached me at the club, I was a drunken mess. I hadn't been sleeping, eating, or trying to help myself at all. I had given up. I wanted someone to just put me out of my misery. I didn't see myself climbing back out of rock bottom and I didn't have the energy to even try. I guess being trapped in the Funhouse with those maniacs made me realize I do have some fight left in me – I fought them day after day, determined to live. As ridiculous as it sounds, the horror and abuse I endured in the Funhouse reignited my will to live. I can't even put into words my relief when I saw you – I didn't think you were there. I thought I had finally lost my marbles and was hallucinating until I touched you. I never thought I'd see you – or any friendly face, for that matter – ever again. I can't thank you enough for saving me, despite what it cost me." He gave her a hard look, narrowing his eyes at her. "I'm not okay with what you forced me to do in there, Jester. I'm not angry at you for it, and I won't hold it against you – I understand your reasoning, I know you were trying to help me. I know that was your twisted way of giving me back control and forcing me to stand up for myself, but I'm struggling with it. I took several lives, Jester. Granted, they were horrible people – if they could even be considered as such – but it was wrong."

"Was it?" Jester raised a cool eyebrow at him. "Tell me the truth, Brian... did you enjoy any of it, even for a split second?"

Doctor Mills tensed as Joker's words from that night at Giggles flashed through his mind.

"_You see, this is your chance to be free – to embrace who you truly are deep down inside. No more playing pretend!"_

He shuddered and shook his head again, trying to shake the Clown Prince of Crime out of his mind to no avail. He could hear the deranged man's voice clear as day in his head, haunting and taunting him.

"_You want to know how it feels to be in complete control, to hold someone's life in your hands, to get everything you ever wanted and never have to apologize or feel guilty for it."_

"_You were exposed to Scarecrow's fear toxin – you were screaming your lungs out on the floor in the main corridor when she found you."_

"Stop," he murmured, avoiding her penetrating gaze. "I'm not like you, I'm not like that. I don't want to kill people, I don't want to hurt people for my amusement or power."

"You want control," Jester prodded. "You went to Giggles to seek out a fight or force Joker to kill you because you had lost all control and hope. You lost everything and you lost your will to live. Don't tell me putting those freaks down didn't give you even a sliver of that control back, Brian. Tell me the truth. Even if it was just for a moment, you felt powerful. You were back in control and you relished in it. I saw it in your eyes as you put down the creepy clown twins – you enjoyed killing them."

"No." He continued to avoid her gaze, bristling at her words. "No, I didn't. I threw up all over the place, for Christ's sake! You saw it!"

"I saw that as clearly as I saw that hint of a smirk on your face when I forced you to strangle the pair of them to death one at a time."

"She's right, ya know," Harley cut in, eyeing Doctor Mills intently. "You enjoyed getting your revenge on 'em. Good for you, Bri – those creepo's got what they deserved!"

"No!" He stood up from his seat, wrenching his hand out of Jester's grip and raking it through his hair. "No, I didn't!"

"If Tommy wasn't on my shit list for abusing you, I'd tell you to talk to him." Jester looked up at Doctor Mills and frowned a little. "He asked to be part of the crew and I refused at first, but we all decided to give him a chance to prove himself. I forced him to mutilate my brother in law. I made him cut a smile into the bastard's face with a rusty box cutter and cauterize the wounds with a hot piece of scrap metal to permanently disfigure his face. He threw up afterward, too... but guess what, Doc? It's his signature now. I can't count on my fingers how many men he's carved up like that since – all with a smile on his face."

"I am not like him!" Doctor Mills spat, beginning to pace where he stood. "I'm not like him, I'm not like you – I'm not like _them_!" He pointed at Scarecrow and Bane where they were currently locked up in a pretty nasty fistfight, ruthlessly beating each other and neither showing signs of stopping or slowing down.

"No, you're not," Jester agreed, adopting a thoughtful expression. "You're Doctor Brian Mills – a successful man catapulted into our world through no fault of your own and doing your best to navigate and survive it. Embrace it, Brian. Don't run from it. This is your life now. Will you be afraid of the likes of us forever, or will you face your fears and regain control of yourself and your life?"

"I can do that without killing people, Jester," Doctor Mills argued vehemently.

"Prove it, then," Jester nudged. "Spar with me."

"Have you lost your mind?"

Harley and Jester burst out laughing at that, shaking with their mirth. "Oh, Doc! You kill me!" Jester wasn't fazed by the incredulous look he shot her, wiping her eyes as her laughter slowly died down.

"I can teach you, Doctor."

Doctor Mills whipped around to face Catwoman who had been watching the entire exchange from her seat close to the firepit. "Teach me?"

"If you want to conquer your fears and regain control over your emotions and your life, I can teach you. There is discipline in martial arts, Doctor Mills. What do you say?" She cocked her head at him and patiently waited for his response, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Martial arts?" He quirked an eyebrow at her and folded his clammy hands neatly in his lap.

"I can teach you anything you'd like; boxing, kickboxing, capoeira, taekwondo, hapkido, jujutsu, dragon style Kung Fu or karate – take your pick. I can teach you once everyone leaves for the breakout and the house is quiet."

"Holy hell," Doctor Mills breathed, astounded. "You can do all of that?"

"Among other things, yes," she said coolly, examining her red painted nails. "Do you accept?"

"I'd take the kitty up on that, Bri. She don't offer favors very often." Harley nudged him with her elbow and gave him an expectant look. "Selina's an all-for-one kinda gal."

"Harley's right," Jester agreed, grinning at Catwoman. "Our house cat doesn't do favors unless there's some kind of personal gain for her. I'd take this opportunity if I were you – after all, she's much more skilled than Harley and me."

Harley nodded in agreement. It didn't bother her or Jester that Catwoman was faster, stronger, and more stealthier than them. She had been in the game much, much longer than they had and she came back to life after being thrown out of a window, after all. She made an excellent, powerful ally and a foreboding, dangerous enemy.

"Alright," Doctor Mills conceded. "Dealer's choice, Selina."

Catwoman grinned wickedly and pinned him with her gaze. "Excellent," she purred. "We will get started tomorrow morning after breakfast."

"What about your exam with Doctor Davis?" Jester shifted her gaze back to Catwoman. "Is that tonight or tomorrow?"

"I almost forgot," Catwoman's wicked grin dissolved into a brilliant smile. "After my ultrasound, then," she winked at Doctor Mills.

"Won't training me harm the baby?"

"Not at all. I'm not sparring with you on the first day. One must learn to crawl before one learns to walk. Slow down, speed racer."

Doctor Mills cracked a genuine smile for the first time since his arrival at the house and settled back into his chair. He turned it around so he could watch the end of Scarecrow and Bane's spar. Scarecrow had one clawed hand wrapped tight around Bane's throat, lifting his feet off of the ground as he choked the hulking man. Bane had a big grin on his masked face, delighting in Scarecrow's ability to get one up on him. He tapped Scarecrow's arm, signaling that he was tapping out of the match. Bane was covered in scorch marks, bruises, and some minor lacerations while Scarecrow showed no obvious signs of injury, but Jester could tell from the way he walked that Bane had given him one hell of a beating. His stride was slow and heavy as if he was simply too tired to move, and the glow of his eyes had dimmed just enough for her to notice.

"What was that you said about not sustaining too many injuries?" Jester cackled wickedly when Scarecrow snapped his head in her direction, his sewn mouth clamping shut in what she knew was annoyance.

"Your punishment later will be quite severe, my love," he promised.

"I'm looking forward to it." She shot him a saucy wink as she pulled the blanket off of her. Getting to her feet, she quickly scampered off into the yard to face off with Bane. She chose not to use a weapon to aid her as a personal challenge, wanting to see just how much damage she could do with her bare hands on her friend.

"Feeling brave today, Mortifera?" Bane taunted her as he loomed menacingly over her with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Always," she singsonged, grinning wolfishly at him before rushing him and flipping over him at the last second, wrapping her thighs tight around his neck as she landed on her hands and squeezing as hard as she could, trying to throw him over or at least choke him.

Bane laughed, prying her legs away from his neck and turning on her as she cartwheeled until she stood upright. "Not bad, but I know all your tricks, just like I know all of Harley's. You'll have to do better than that, little one."

Jester laughed, putting her hands up and planting her feet in the ground beneath her. "Bring it on, big boy."

* * *

After a long day of sparring with Bane, Harley, Scarecrow, Ruiz, and some of Bane's men that usually patrolled the grounds and perimeter of the mansion, Jester was exhausted.

She was washing the shampoo out of her hair, letting the hot water soothe her bruised and battered body and aching muscles when Jonathan slid open the door and stepped in behind her under the spray of the water. "Christ," he hissed, examining the black and blue bruises and deep lacerations marring her flesh from her face down to her feet. "Sparring wasn't a wise idea."

"Of course it was," Jester turned and grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We needed to get our asses in shape for the breakout."

"You realize the breakout is only 11 hours away, don't you? As it is, you're starting three hours earlier at the Funhouse." Jonathan pursed his lips at her, carefully wrapping his arms around her to avoid inflicting any more pain on her.

"I heal fast, Craney," she winked at him. "Besides, sparring with Bane was good practice in case I go up against the Bat. Harley and I certainly learned a lot."

"He nearly killed you both," Jonathan growled. "I fail to see the benefits of those spars."

"The benefits are that Harley and I learned how to deflect blows like that and to slip around a bigger man. Where he and the Bat have brute strength, we have agility and stamina. It gave me insight on how to deal with the Bat, that bird-brained little shit and Nightwing."

"Regardless, I want you to eat and rest after this."

Jester chuckled, planting a firm kiss on Jonathan's mouth. "As long as you join me," she teased.

"Of course," Jonathan assured her, pulling her closer to him. "I'm proud of you, you know. You did extremely well."

"What can I say? I'm a badass motherfucker." Jester giggled when Jonathan rolled his eyes at her and reached behind him for her bottle of conditioner, pressing her body teasingly against his as she did so.

"Keep that up, love, and I'm going to pin you against the wall and fuck you senseless." He bit down on her pulse point, drawing a moan from her.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, Craney," Jester purred, abandoning the conditioner and clutching at his bare shoulders. She dug her nails into his skin, biting her lower lip when he groaned.

"Little minx," Jonathan growled, quickly turning her around and pinning her roughly against the shower wall. He rubbed his length up and down her slit, bracing himself with his free hand pressed against the wall next to her head. He lowered his head, resting his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "You've bewitched me, Jester... I simply can't resist you. I wonder, how will you manage to split your time between Joker and me once he's back home?"

Jester shivered at his words, arching her spine and pressing her ass firmly against him. "Lucky for you, I'm spitting mad at him and won't be letting him fuck me again for a while." She moaned when he rewarded her by plunging into her, going as deep as he could on that first stroke until he was fully sheathed inside her.

He fisted a hand in her wet hair and yanked her head back until he could look her in the eye, slowly pulling out of her and reentering her. He kept up a slow and steady rhythm, enjoying his last day alone with her. "Stay in my room with me, then," he commanded. "I want to take advantage of every single second I get to spend with you, darling. I want to fall asleep every night and wake up every morning with you."

Jester wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled his face closer to hers until their lips met in a frenzied, passionate kiss. She didn't say anything in return, knowing that her actions spoke for her.

His tongue delved into her mouth and caressed hers as he made love to her against the shower wall under the hot water. He released her hair and trailed his fingers down her spine, around her hip, and down her belly until he reached her sex. His thumb found her clit and rubbed slow, gentle circles on and around it, bringing her closer to orgasm.

Jester moaned his given name as she came apart for him, drawing his release from him as her muscles contracted around his cock. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, holding her up with an arm wrapped around her waist as they both panted and came down from their highs. "I love you, my littlest clown," he murmured, planting soft kisses along her shoulder.

"I love you," she whispered, threading her fingers through his hair. She was panting still, her forehead pressed against the shower wall and her legs trembling as she tried to calm her wild heartbeat. "Promise me you'll both come home to me after everything is said and done. Promise me you'll be safe."

Jonathan frowned, slowly and carefully turning her around and gripping her hips tight in his hands to keep her from collapsing. "Oh darling, we can do better than that." He felt Scarecrow lurking underneath the surface and could tell from the look in her eyes that his own were sporting that familiar orange rim around the irises. "We both promise to come home _with_ you after all is said and done... safe and in one piece. Will you promise us the same?"

She almost didn't notice the split-second flash of worry in his blue-orange eyes as he regarded her. "I promise," she whispered, cupping his face in her hands. "I will always make it back home. Ace is counting on me, after all."

"That he is," Jonathan agreed. "We will stay as close to you as we can tonight. We won't let anything happen to you."

"You'll have one hell of a time trying to keep up, baby. The girls and I are going to tear through that place like lightning." Jester grinned at him and reached up to peck him on the lips. "Help me finish up in here?"

Jonathan chuckled, stroking her cheek lovingly with his thumb. "With pleasure."


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Merry Christmas Eve! I've been writing like crazy lately so I wanted to give you all another chapter just in time for the holidays! As always, thank you for all the love. Enjoy! :)_

**\- xxx -**

**Barbara Gordon's Apartment Building:**

_Knock, knock, knock._

Barbara Gordon was startled awake by someone rapping on her door. She rolled over and looked at her alarm clock, wondering who could be knocking on her door at 12:03 AM. She picked up her cellphone as she slipped out of bed and into her robe and slippers, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion when she saw no missed calls from her father, Bruce, Dick, or Jason. "What the hell?" She turned on her bedside lamp and quietly padded out into her living room and towards the door, keeping her phone in her hand. She took a deep breath to calm her racing heartbeat and her nerves as she looked through the peephole, her confusion doubling when she saw no one there. "Ding dong ditch at this hour?"

She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to fall back asleep at this rate after the mini heart attack the knocking at her door caused her. She shuffled into her kitchen and poured water into her tea kettle, deciding to have a nice cup of chamomile tea to try and calm her down so she could try and manage a few more hours of sleep before she'd have to wake back up for work. As soon as she set the kettle on the stove burner, the knocking came again, only louder and slightly more aggressive this time.

_KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK._

She huffed, annoyed at this point, and made her way back towards the door. She readied herself to give whoever it was a good what-for when she opened the door, suspecting it must be trouble making teenagers in her apartment building stirring up a little mischief. She looked through the peephole and again saw no one. She tightened the tie on her robe and unlocked the door, keeping the chain attached so she could peek into the hallway. She opened the door as far as the chain would allow and peeked out, trying to see if she could spot anyone in the hallway. She waited, listening and watching, for a few minutes but there was no one there. She shook her head and closed the door, locking it back up behind her. The tea kettle was whistling, the noise growing louder and louder, and she rushed to take it off of the hot burner to stop the noise.

Pulling out a tea bag and mug, she set to work making her tea. She padded into the living room and settled herself down on her couch, turning on the TV and flipping through the channels to see if there was anything interesting on. Finding nothing but the usual late-night infomercials and news, she sighed and pulled out one of her books instead. She settled on a mystery novel that she was in the middle of, pulling it open to her bookmarked page and sipping gingerly at her tea as she read. She was relieved as the minutes passed with no more strange knocks at the door, figuring she had been correct in her assumption that it must have been teenagers from the building messing around.

She relaxed, crossing her legs over her coffee table and letting herself slowly succumb to her drowsiness as she read page after page, getting deeper into the story. She was just on the cusp of sleep when a loud banging came from the door. Alarmed, she turned her head and stared at the door, watching as it rattled with each bang of the person's fist on the other side. She was nervous now, a lump forming in her throat and her mouth going dry. She felt a chill down her spine and her stomach was in knots, her intuition telling her that something was very, very wrong. Picking up her phone, she dialed Dick's number, hoping he'd be able to answer. The call wouldn't go through, however, and her hand shook slightly as she studied the screen – she had no signal. "No signal? How?"

_**BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**_

The banging started up again, startling her. She tried again to call Dick to no avail, her cell phone screen still reading 'no signal'. She tried her dad, then Bruce, then Jason, all with the same result. Panicking, she immediately went to her computer and tried to send out emails to them. Just like her phone, her computer wasn't complying. Her WiFi and internet were completely out, not even popping up on her search when she tried to troubleshoot her network issue. She couldn't stop the shudder that wracked her body as she scrambled back into the living room, wondering if she could send them messages using just her data. Typing up a text message to Dick, she ignored the incessant, violent banging on her door and cursed when the message wouldn't send.

"What do I do?" She looked around, her eyes landing on the large window in her living room. She was way too high up to try and escape that way – she was on the 6th floor of her building. Running to her bedroom, she opened her window and looked down, wondering if it was worth trying to use the fire escape. The sight that greeted her at the bottom made her blood run cold. There were two masked men at the bottom of the fire escape, both of them in sad clown masks. They tilted their heads up and waved slowly, mockingly at her and she bit back a scream as she slammed her window shut and locked it. She crumpled to the floor, crying quietly as she scrambled into her closet, thinking that maybe if she refused to open the door and stayed in the closet, they'd eventually go away.

Her hopes were diminished when she heard the chain on her door snap. She whimpered quietly, slipping back into her closet and hiding in the far corner behind and underneath a bunch of clothes, hoping it would be enough. She kept quiet, barely even breathing as she heard someone's footsteps in her kitchen. Whoever it was, they were slowly making their way into the living room and towards her bedroom where she realized she had stupidly left the bedside lamp on. She remained still and silent, covering her mouth with her hands to try and muffle the sounds of her panting, and prayed that whoever it was would give up and just leave.

"Playtime is over, Barbara," the singsong voice belonged to a female, but she couldn't place it. She hadn't heard it anywhere before – what would a strange woman want with her? "You're wasting valuable time and my patience is running out. If I have to come find you, I promise you'll regret it."

Barbara refused to move, knowing better than to expose herself to whoever this psychopath was in her apartment.

"I'm sure you've tried to call your daddy dearest." The woman tutted in scolding, chuckling under her breath. "Jammers are pretty nifty, Barbara. Inexpensive and effective."

The voice was coming from the doorway to her bedroom now and she cried silently, wishing she had taken the time to gear up instead of hiding in her closet like a coward. The men in the clown masks had unnerved her and thrown her into a panic – when she was Batgirl, she was a fearless vigilante that criminals were afraid of. When she was at home, she was just Barbara Gordon – an information broker for the GCPD and kept out of the department by her father out of fear for her safety. She almost laughed at that – her father refused to allow her to become a GDPD cop to keep her safe, yet here she was, trapped in a closet while a psychopath taunted her in her own home.

"Take the computer – every piece of it," the woman's voice tore her from her thoughts and her eyes went wide with terror. Her computer! That's where all of her information was, where she did all of her hacking and information gathering for not only the GCPD but for Batman as well. If they took all of that, they'd know! "Listen, Barbara, I know you're in the closet. Come out, or I'll smoke you out."

Barbara quickly dried her tears and got her wits about her, trying to scrape up some courage to face whoever this woman was and whoever she had with her. She slowly crawled out of the closet and got to her feet, hesitantly looking at the women grinning at her from the doorway of her bedroom. She was ghostly pale, just like the Joker, with plum-colored hair, aqua green eyes, tattoos all over and burgundy lips. She was dressed in a plum-colored snakeskin bodysuit with a shoulder holster, ankle holster, and tactical belt on. Barbara wasn't sure since there were rumors of two female clowns running around Gotham, but she figured this one must be the one everyone called Jester.

"You're Jester," Barbara spoke as clearly and coolly as she could, doing her best not to let it crack or wobble. She wouldn't show fear in the face of the Joker's psychotic other half. Besides, if what she heard about this woman was true, she couldn't _really_ be in any danger – Jester only killed men. Bad men, men that hurt women. She was a womens' champion much like Barbara herself, surely she wouldn't kill her?

"Bingo," Jester crooned, giggling a little. "Now that introductions are out of the way, we really need to go. You've made me quite late for my other appointments."

"Appointments? Where are you taking me? Why are you here?"

"Save your breath, Barb," Jester quipped. "All you need to worry about is moving your ass just a little faster so we can get on with it."

"Get on with _what?_" Barbara didn't like where this was going, not at all. She spared a glance behind her to her sofa where her cell phone sat abandoned, wishing she had kept it on her when she ran into her bedroom. It was too late now, her apartment was full of large men wearing clown makeup and clown masks, all of them ransacking her apartment and carefully taking her entire computer apart and carrying it out with them.

"Don't make me drag you, Barb," Jester threatened, slowing her stride towards the door and casting a glare over her shoulder at Barbara. "Shut up and walk. You do anything to try and catch anyone's attention – screaming, yelling, crying, banging on doors – I will have my boys chain you to the back of the van and drag you across town."

Barbara blinked in surprise, not expecting a threat like that from this woman. Had she done something to her? Had they crossed paths before? What did she want with her after midnight? What was this all about?

"MOVE," Jester barked, wrapping her pale hand tightly around Barbara's and ignoring her yelp of pain as she shoved her roughly towards the door. "If I have to tell you again, I'll get the chains myself."

Barbara said nothing, straightening her spine and keeping her chin held high as she walked out of her apartment and followed the clown men down the stairs to the ground floor, fully aware of Jester behind her and armed to the teeth. She thought about making a move – a distraction, _anything_ – but she knew it would be futile. She couldn't reach her dad, Bruce, Dick or Jason and she certainly couldn't face off with this many of them without her gear. She'd have to try and find a way to leave a trail or reach one of them to tell them she'd been kidnapped by the Joker's sweetheart, of all people, and pray they'd come for her.

"Hey!" She snapped at the henchman that roughly shoved her inside the black van through the back doors, causing her to hit her head against the bare floor of it. "What the hell is your problem?"

Jester climbed into the van flanked by 4 of the 6 henchmen and grinned wickedly as the doors were slammed shut. The van began moving soon after, taking off like a bullet and careening dangerously through the streets of Gotham. Barbara was sliding all over the floor, banging her head, elbows, and knees several times as she was tossed about like a pinball. She growled at the way Jester and her henchmen giggled at it, amused by her pain and suffering. It was an unspoken agreement that Barbara would not be allowed to sit on one of the side benches with the rest of them. She knew how criminals like this worked – they were superior, everyone else was inferior, and to try and challenge them was an immediate death sentence. Barbara wasn't sure where they were going as the van took wild twists and turns, speeding through the streets and swerving all over the road. There were no windows at all in the back and she didn't dare try and sit up to look through the cage to the front of the van.

When it finally came to a stop, Barbara screamed and kicked like a wildcat as Jester's henchmen held her down and shackled her like a prisoner, making sure to make the cuffs painfully tight so she wouldn't even attempt escaping them. They wrenched her roughly out of the van by her chains and dragged her into what looked like an abandoned amusement park. She thought it was familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She knew of Amusement Mile in the city, but this was completely different. She had a strange, niggling feeling that she wasn't in Gotham anymore. Nothing was surrounding this place, it sat on barren grounds in an equally abandoned and barren city. If she escaped and ran, there would be nowhere for her to go. She had no idea where she was, she had no phone or means of communication with anyone, and she knew running through the abandoned city was the equivalent of painting a giant bullseye on her back. She let them lead her through the park, keeping up with their pace so they'd stop dragging her.

She looked up at the giant, creepy Jester leering down at her from the awning and grimaced at its razor-sharp teeth and wild expression. She didn't have much time to look at it before she was being dragged through a heavy old iron gate and into a dark building. The only light inside came from dim, creepy green lamps that cast a dull green glow in the ceiling overhead that didn't help her to see at all. She let the henchmen pull her along, deciding it was better to obediently follow them than to try and navigate on her own and run in this darkness, resulting in her smacking into walls and probably falling a few times like those idiots in horror movies. No, she refused to die like that.

When they reached the heart of the building, the neon signs and strobe lights blinded her. The music playing sent chills down her spine – it was some kind of creepy, macabre circus or carnival music and it was unsettling, to say the least. There was a wooden roller coaster in the room with an old, broken-down set of cars on the tracks that looked as though they'd been lived in. What unsettled her the most, though, was the heavy oak chair in the middle of the floor with leather strap restraints built into the arms and legs and the set of torture devices next to it. She saw a switchblade, a box cutter, fish hooks, a staple gun, a nail gun, a scrap of metal next to a lighter, a blowtorch, a scalpel covered in old, dark blood, a cigar cutter, a pack of cigarettes, and a handle of what looked like Jameson Black Barrel.

"What the hell is this?" Panic settled in her chest and constricted her heart and lungs, making it hard for her to breathe. "What the hell is all of this for? Why am I here?"

"Boys..." Jester snapped her fingers and Barbara screamed bloody murder as they slammed her down in the chair and used all their strength to hold her down as they restrained her, trying to avoid her kicks, punches, scratches, and even bites as she fought them.

Once she was in, Jester grinned at her and made her way to the table. She picked up the bottle of Jameson and untwisted the cap, taking a swig straight from the bottle before offering it out to Barbara. Barbara glared at her and shook her head, seething in her seat. Jester laughed, taking another few swigs before coming around to stand in front of Barbara.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're here," Jester drawled, folding her hands behind her back. "As you can see, I set all of this up just for you. Well, you and your dad." She snickered a little as she thought about how all of this would play out later, excited to put an end to the Commissioner. "You see, Barbara, I usually don't kill women but I'm afraid I have to make an exception tonight. Your dad interrogated my cousin recently and got pretty rough with him. Did you know he has stooped to coercing confessions from people?"

Barbara was furious. She opened her mouth to argue but Jester shot her a warning look that made her heart stop on a dime. She closed her mouth with an audible click of her jaw and watched as the woman slowly began pacing in front of her. "I watched the tape myself. Your father," Jester pointed a finger at Barbara, leveling her with a hard look, "yanked my cousin up by the collar of his jumpsuit and threatened him. When that didn't work, he continued to spit venom at my cousin and ended the interview by throwing his hot coffee at him. He was livid because my cousin invoked the 5th Amendment and reminded your daddy dearest of his rights and all the lawyers we have in our pockets. So, with all of that said, I had to kidnap you to teach your father a lesson. You see, Barbara, your dad needs to learn a very hard lesson that I've already taught many others – you don't _ever_ fucking touch one of mine." Jester's voice was a snarl on the last sentence and her eyes darkened slightly, incensed at the images playing in her mind of Commissioner Gordon manhandling Tommy during his interrogation.

"So you're kidnapping me to get back at my father? I don't believe any of that. My father is a good man! He cleaned up the GCPD! He's the reason there aren't any more crooked cops and that the GCPD has a good relationship with Batman and -"

"Batman, yes, that's another one. Batman and his little fuckboys put my cousin in Blackgate to begin with. They're on my shit list too, right after you and your dad." Jester grinned at her, mocking her with her amusement. "Now, I knew you wouldn't believe me about the interrogation, so I brought it for you to watch while I get to work."

"What are you going to do?" Barbara looked at the table, at Jester, and then back at the table. "Kidnapping me is enough to get his attention and upset him, you don't have to do this to me! You can let me go, he'll get your message loud and clear, believe me!"

"Sorry, Babs – I can call you Babs, right?" Jester took a page out of Tommy's book and mocked the woman's name, riling her up even more as she took another swig of Jameson. "I'm not really the message type, ya know? I like to leave lasting, _permanent_ impressions." With that, she made her way to the control room and inserted the DVD, coming back out to make sure it was playing on the big screen in the ceiling that Barbara's eyes were now glued to. "Perfect," she hummed to herself, sifting through the table of tools and figuring out what she'd like to start with. She picked up the nail gun and glanced over at the control room, making sure the tablet they had set up was still recording. The henchman inside gave her a thumbs up and she grinned, using Barbara's temporary distraction to shoot a long, 3 1/2" nail through her hand where it rested on the arm of the chair.

Barbara screamed and wailed in agony, instinctively reaching over with her other hand to pull the nail out. She stopped herself, knowing it was no use, and wept openly as blood leaked from the wound and spilled all over the arm of the chair, slowly dripping to the floor and creating a small puddle.

"Keep watching," Jester spat, grabbing Barbara by her hair and yanking her head back into position so she was forced to look ahead at the screen, "or I'll put one in your eye."

And so it began... Jester forced Barbara to watch the entire tape as she tortured and mutilated her, cackling loudly over her screams and shrieks of pain and horror. She felt no remorse as the woman wept and begged, continuing with her work. Barbara was just a means to an end – she wanted Gordon, and to get Gordon she had to have the perfect bait. Barbara wouldn't see the light of the next day, that much was for sure. If things went correctly, Commissioner Gordon wouldn't either.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison:**

"Color me shocked," Joker mused, watching as a timid, terrified and slightly battered looking Doctor Evans slipped her way through the wall of henchmen in Solitary. He was leaning casually against the back wall by his open cell, hands in his pockets and a wicked look on his pale face. He eyed the large tote bag she was dragging behind her and chuckled, realizing the package his boys delivered to her must've been too heavy for her to carry. "Give it here, Elise." He straightened up off the wall and took the bag from her, pulling out the duct-taped box inside and ripping it open with ease. His face lit up like a kid's on Christmas as he took stock of all the toys inside. He always kept a stash in his office at Giggles in case of emergencies like this one and his boys had done well – he had an assortment of switchblades, butterfly knives, guns, a ridiculous amount of ammunition, a potato peeler, a box cutter, a fifth of whiskey, a carton of smokes, a box of matches, a shoulder holster and several different Joker Venom weapons – grenades, smoke bombs, carefully packed hypodermic needles, aerosol canisters, and vials of it to use as he wished.

Joker unbuttoned his jumpsuit down to his waist and let the top of it fall before wrapping it around his waist and tying it off. He ignored the way Doctor Evan's eyes roamed over his naked upper half as he slipped his holster on and got to work loading every magazine he found in the box and strategically hiding everything else in the waistband of his boxers and jumpsuit, his socks, shoes, and slipping a few packs of smokes, matches, and smaller knives into the straps of his holster.

"Boys," he nodded at Tommy, Johnny, Deadshot, and Hammer before tossing them each a gun, two loaded extended magazines for them, two packs of smokes and matches for them, and a few extra knives he found at the bottom of the box.

"I expect that jackass Double-Tap will be bringing proper equipment for the rooftop?" The dark look on Deadshot's face was enough to make even Joker a little apprehensive. Deadshot's disdain for the man was clear as day.

"You know Jester and Harley will make sure you're properly strapped," he winked at Deadshot and chuckled to himself, picturing Deadshot blowing a hole in the back of Double-Tap's head as soon as everything was said and done and leaving his headless corpse on the roof to rot.

"Speaking of them..." Tommy ran his hands down his face and shook his head, looking more frazzled than ever. "Where will they be? Will we be seeing them at all?"

"Your jobs," Joker pointed at Tommy, Johnny, Hammer, and the rest of his men, "are to run interference throughout the prison. You'll probably see them in passing as they keep the rodent squad busy. You all need to look out for our guys – you all know who they are. Make sure none of the other inmates, GCPD, or the Bat-Family impede them in any way. Everyone's got a part to play tonight, none of us can afford to be caught up with those assholes."

A small cough behind him caught Joker's attention and he turned to face Doctor Evans, noticing Frankie was standing protectively at her side between her and the rest of Joker's men. He smirked at that, amused at the strange shift in their attitudes toward each other. He knew Frankie had gone after her the day before and given her his jacket to keep her warm and covered as he escorted her to her car through a side door so she didn't have to do the walk of shame through the entire prison, bleeding heart that the idiot was. "Make it quick, Doc. I don't have time for this."

"What am I supposed to do?" She looked at him expectantly and crossed her arms.

Joker laughed. "You? Well sweetheart, unless you wanna watch the show and egg the GCPD on to kill me – _monster_ that I am," he grinned at her, entertained by her obvious nervousness as she shifted her feet and her eyes darted around the room as if expecting to be attacked at any moment. "You can run along. I only needed you to smuggle my toys in for me."

"You humiliated and abused me like that just to have me bring you a fucking _box?_" She was seething, balling her hands up into fists at her sides. "You cracked my head open, choked me, dragged me, and tortured me over a _BOX?!"_

"So... it _wasn't _as good for you as it was for me?" Joker goaded her, giggling at her furious expression and rigid stance.

"You sick piece of shit!" She didn't think – she was acting out of pure rage once more as she lunged at him and swung, her fist connecting with his jaw.

Joker cackled, catching her wrist in his hand and delighting in the loud _CRACK_ that rang out in the cold, dark stone room when her fist hit his jaw. The broad had broken her knuckles on his bone. He couldn't contain himself, cackling hysterically as he held her wrist in place and ducked another punch from her left hand. "Frankie, get this dumb broad outta here before I pump her full of lead."

"That's fine, Joker. I can't wait to leave – I'll march my ass right to the GCPD and tell Commissioner Gordon everything that's going on here and about the others on the outside. I'll tell him _everything! _I'll even wait for the Batman to show up so I can give him details."

Joker's laughter stopped and his eyes darkened slightly at her threat. He applied the littlest amount of pressure to her wrist and grinned when she screamed in pain, her bones on the verge of snapping. One tiny push with his thumb and her wrist would snap quite painfully. "Such threats," he growled, bringing his face closer to hers. "I'd love to see you try and get out of this room alive, let alone the rest of the prison." He didn't tear his eyes from her as he addressed Frankie. "Frankie, what time you got?"

"2:15, boss," Frankie muttered, keeping a close eye on the petite woman in Joker's death grip.

"2:15, huh? So little Elise here has 45 minutes or less to try and make it out of this room and the rest of the prison _alive_ before she runs into the very woman she tried to impersonate – the only one who might show her mercy out of the entire squad that will be accompanying her." Joker's face lit back up and he giggled, releasing her wrist and backing off from her. "Whaddya say, Doc? Think you can make it? I gotta tell ya, Harley might rip your face right off if she sees ya. Or would it be Catwoman?" He looked over to Tommy and Deadshot and quirked a brow in question.

"My money's on Harley," Tommy admitted. "Selina would probably just humiliate her until she cried."

"Sounds about right," Deadshot mused, chuckling to himself. "My girl doesn't do too much talking when it comes down to business."

"Don't you think you've done enough to me, Joker?" Doctor Evans argued, boldly reaching out and clasping her hand around the same arm she savagely clawed at the day before. "Please, just let me go. I won't say anything. I'll go right home and I won't say anything to anyone."

"I can't trust you, Doc," Joker said softly, mockingly pouting at her. "You refused my offer, you ducked me for 3 days, you antagonized me, mocked me, and worst of all – you hurt my feelings."

"I hurt your... what?" Doctor Evans' eyes were as wide as saucers in shock at his statement. "_What_?"

"You heard me, Doc. You hurt my feelings. You called me a monster and told me you hope I die." He slumped his shoulders a little, mimicking a dejected expression. "I cried all night long!"

Cruel, deafening laughter erupted in the room and Doctor Evans shuddered, crossing her arms over her chest and rubbing them to try and comfort herself. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, chills ran down her spine, and she felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest. She was terrified. She knew her chances of leaving were slim to none at this point, thanks to her lack of self-control and her forked tongue.

"Let's play a game, sweetheart," Joker growled, slowly beginning to circle her the same way she imagined vultures did as they watched their prey die, patiently waiting for the animal to take its last breath before they would descend upon it and tear it to shreds. "I'll give you a 2-minute head start. Two minutes to get out of this room before I send my boys after ya. At 3:00 every single cell in this prison will open and you will be a pretty little gazelle among starved lions."

"That's hardly fair," she choked on a sob, curling in on herself. She was stuck against a wall between Joker and the rest of his men in the way back of the room. It would take that whole 2 minutes just to push through them and try to reach the door. "Please, Joker, just let me go. I'm sorry! I'm sorry for all of it, I was wrong. I'll do anything, just let me go!"

Joker sighed and ran his tongue over his teeth. "We already played that game, Elise." He rolled his head around and cracked his neck, groaning in annoyance before leveling her with a glare. "Clock's ticking." He grinned at her and pointed towards the door.

It took her a moment to process what he'd said before her legs seemed to move of their own accord. She shoved her way through his men, tearing through the room as fast as her legs would carry her and slammed the door behind her as she burst into the corridor. She sprinted down the entire length of it towards the stairs, screaming in terror as Joker's loud, booming voice and laughter chased her.

"_**RUN RABBIT, RUN!"**_

"Are ya really gonna send us after her?" One of the henchmen piped up and eyed Joker warily.

"Of course not, you dumb ape," Joker snapped. "We have less than an hour to get set up. Forget about the broad, get to your stations, set up, and do your jobs! Be quiet about it – we don't have control until 3:00."

They didn't need to be told twice. The entire room cleared out, leaving Joker with Tommy, Johnny, Deadshot and Frankie Boles who decided to keep to himself in a far off corner.

"So we still don't know why she moved the plan up to today?" Johnny was genuinely curious as he folded his muscular arms over his stomach. "She just said 'something came up'?"

"Nobody's talking," Joker hissed, pulling his phone from his pocket and waving it at Johnny. "They won't answer me."

"Jesus," Tommy gave a low whistle, both eyebrows raised in surprise. "So they've all sided with her? We're so fucked when they get here. I have a feeling the reunion won't be pleasant."

"What happened to the ballsy kid who carved up a member of his own family in the basement of my club?" Joker pinned Tommy with his gaze. "Don't be a wimp, Tommy. Besides, I've got a feeling this early breakout has somethin' to do with _you_."

"Me? Why me?"

"Yeah, why him?" Deadshot glanced at Tommy. "No offense, man."

Tommy waved him off and all three men waited for Joker to explain.

"I don't think it's a coincidence she changed her mind and moved the plans up after watching your interrogation tape. This has something to do with you, I just know it." Joker leaned back against the wall, waiting patiently as the minutes slowly ticked by.

"I don't think that's enough for her to up the date and put her anger aside to get us outta here," Tommy argued, shrugging a little. "It wasn't that bad."

"As angry as she is at us, she's still Jester – she'll still slaughter someone for putting their hands on someone she loves. She can stick up for us while holding a grudge against us at the same time. She's quirky like that." Johnny smirked at Tommy and chuckled a little, clapping him on the back in a show of support. "Being angry at us doesn't mean she doesn't love us or care about us anymore."

"What he said," Deadshot nodded at Johnny. "Hit the nail right on the head."

**\- xxx -**

**GCPD HQ:**

Officer Santos' burner phone lit up with the text he'd been waiting for all night. He was in the bullpen with his partner, Officer Deckard, both of them sitting at their desks and fucking around while they waited. "It's time," Officer Santos mouthed to Officer Deckard.

They both got up from their desks and Officer Santos grabbed his keys, both men heading out towards the car. They put the light on top of the car, turning it on along with their siren and raced to Commissioner Gordon's house, skidding to a dramatic halt in his driveway to sell their act.

Ruiz was already on his way to the Funhouse, summoned by Jester to help her get rid of Barbara's body before the two officers arrived with Commissioner Gordon.

As they expected, the old Commissioner came storming out of the house in uniform and armed to the teeth, a lit cigarette hanging from his lips. "What is it this time?" His tone almost seemed bored, but Officer Santos knew better – Commissioner Gordon was merely desensitized after all the shit he'd seen over the years since he first became a GCPD cop.

"It's Barbara, sir," Officer Santos' expression was the perfect picture of panic. He reached for his phone and pulled up a video of Barbara being dragged out of her apartment building by Jester and six henchmen in clown masks and makeup. Jester was clever enough to have a guy on the opposite side of the street to take the video as if he was a witness, sending the video to Officer Santos on a burner phone he later tossed in the river. "She's been taken by Jester. I don't know who sent it in, this is all I've got."

"Where did they take her?! Where's my baby girl?!" Commissioner Gordon grabbed Officer Santos by the collar, shaking him as he unraveled. "Where is she?!"

"We think they might've taken her to this abandoned theme park. When we arrived at the scene, this was on the ground outside the apartment building. I think they wanted you to see it." Officer Deckard pulled an admission ticket out of his pocket and handed it over to Commissioner Gordon.

Commissioner Gordon looked at the vintage looking ticket with a creepy, hollow-eyed Jester on the front of it. The wide, wicked grin the Jester sported mocked him as if it was laughing at his fury. He grit his teeth as he read the jagged, harsh black lettering on the card, struggling to maintain his self-control.

"_Commissioner Gordon,_

_Your presence has been requested at the Joker's Funhouse at 2:00 AM._

_Don't be late, Barbara is just **dying** to see you!"_

"That _bitch_!" Commissioner Gordon ripped the card up and tossed the pieces to the ground. "Where is this abandoned amusement park?"

**\- xxx -**

**The Mansion Safe House:**

"I told ya I'd make it back with some time to spare," Jester grinned at Jonathan as she made her way into the nursery at precisely 2:00.

"I never doubted you," he purred, wrapping his arms tight around her from behind as she loomed over the crib to smile at the babies.

"You two ready for a bedtime song?" She leaned over and pressed a kiss to Ace's forehead and then another to Reina's before straightening back up. Finally deciding on a song to sing, she leaned back comfortably against Jonathan and rested her arms over his.

"_All my friends are heathens, take it slow_

_Wait for them to ask you who you know_

_Please don't make any sudden moves_

_You don't know the half of the abuse_

_All my friends are heathens, take it slow_

_Wait for them to ask you who you know_

_Please don't make any sudden moves_

_You don't know the half of the abuse_

_Welcome to the room of people_

_Who have rooms of people that they loved one day_

_Stocked away_

_Just because we check the guns at the door_

_Doesn't mean our brains will change from hand grenades_

_You're lovin' on the psychopath sitting next to you_

_You're lovin' on the murderer sitting' next to you_

_You'll think, 'How'd I get here, sitting next to you?'_

_But after all I've said, please don't forget_

_All my friends are heathens, take it slow_

_Wait for them to ask you who you know_

_Please don't make any sudden moves_

_You don't know the half of the abuse_

_We don't deal with outsiders very well_

_They say newcomers have a certain smell_

_You have trust issues, not to mention_

_They say they can smell your intentions_

_You're lovin' on the freakshow sitting next to you_

_You'll have some weird people sitting next to you_

_You'll think, 'How did I get here, sitting next to you?'_

_But after all I've said, please don't forget_

_All my friends are heathens, take it slow_

_Wait for them to ask you who you know_

_Please, all my friends are heathens, take it slow_

_Wait for them to ask you who you know..."_

The babies were fast asleep before the song was over and Jester took a moment to watch them, trying to calm the little bit of anxiety creeping up on her. She was nervous about tonight. There were so many things that could go wrong – there were a lot of people involved and everyone had a different role to play. A simple mistake could blow the whole thing to smithereens. She didn't want them to end up trapped inside the prison with the Bat-Family without everything set up and executed correctly. There would be no room for error tonight. Riddler's involvement was detrimental to the plan – she prayed he'd cooperate tonight and execute his part of the plan as flawlessly as he assured her he could.

"You're overthinking," Jonathan whispered in her ear, pulling her closer to him. "Everything will be just fine. Now, let's wash this old blood off of you and head over to Port Adams before we're late."

Jester turned to face him and smiled, pecking him on the lips. "I'm not gonna wash it off – I have a feeling my appearance is going to do a number on the Bat-Family's sanity."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He tilted his head down and caught her lips in a passionate, desperate kiss; communicating everything he wanted to say to her at that moment with his lips and tongue. His hands fisted in her blood-soaked plum locks and he held her as close as he possibly could, terrified of letting her go at all tonight.

When they finally came up for air, Jester gave him a reassuring smile and cupped his face in her hands. "I'll be fine, Craney, I promise. We'll have time together after everything is said and done, and you know I'll be leading at least one of those idiots right to you at some point. I'll have my radio on me at all times."

The telltale glowing orange of Scarecrow's eyes rimmed Jonathan's sky blue irises and Jester grinned. "If any of those brutes harm you, we want to know immediately." The dual voice was a little raspier and quieter than usual, and Jester chuckled as she realized Scarecrow was trying not to wake the sleeping babies. They moved out of the nursery and into the hallway, making their way downstairs to the garage as they talked.

"I'll keep in contact with you as much as possible." Jester squeezed Jonathan's hand reassuringly and yanked him closer to her to press a kiss to his cheek. "You forget I'll be with Ivy, Harley, and Copperhead. I'll be just fine."

"I will kill anyone that dares to put a hand on you," Scarecrow's voice was overpowering Jonathan's as he slowly took control. "I swear it."

"I know," Jester mused, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "Let's get going, baby. We don't wanna be late."

They both climbed into Jester's GNX and she took off like a shot, racing towards Port Adams to meet the others.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison:**

The plan was going swimmingly so far. Everyone – even Mad Hatter – had shown up on time at Port Adams ready to go. Poison Ivy released her spores inside of the prison while Copperhead distracted the guards in the post at the entrance to the bridge and took their radios and cell phones. Poison Ivy used her spores to brainwash them into letting the bridge down for them, making sure they'd pull it back up and not allow anyone else through after their caravan of criminals. They made it over the bridge and past the first guard post without any trouble at all and now stood in the main lobby of the prison while Jester directed everyone.

"You're up on the roof with Deadshot," Jester gave Double-Tap her _'don't fuck with me'_ look and the man simply nodded before heading off, much to Jester's relief. She was in no mood for petty arguments with the arrogant hitman.

"Riddler, you're in the Control Room with Joker," Jester ignored the scathing glare the raving genius gave her. "Radio me as soon as you've hacked the system – I need you to gain control of the Gotham Radio Towers after that."

"Must I share such a tight space with your _insufferable_ beau?"

Jester leveled Riddler with a glare of her own. "He won't be there with you all night, so don't get your panties in a twist. You'll have the Control Room all to yourself once he's done."

Riddler seethed as he stormed off in the most dramatic fashion possible, muttering under his breath with his fists clenched at his sides. Harley barked a laugh at him, twirling a pigtail in one hand and lazily swinging her bat in the other. "What a loon!"

"Harvey," Jester looked at Two-Face who was taking stock of their group and scowling at Copperhead. "I need you to gather your guys and hang out in the corridor to Solitary. You're the last trap before Bane."

Two-Face grinned at this and lit himself two cigarettes, one clove and one non-menthol. "You got it doll," he growled. "See ya on the flip side!" He cackled as he strode pompously through the entryway and towards the corridor that would lead him towards Solitary, his wicked laughter bouncing off of the stone walls.

"Hatter..." Jester raised an eyebrow at the skittish looking man, trying to decipher whether he was coherent and lucid enough to pay attention and understand what he was supposed to be doing. "You're in the cafeteria, got it?"

"Down the rabbit hole I go!" He clapped his hands and giggled, nodding enthusiastically.

Jester had noticed when they all met at Port Adams that Mad Hatter hadn't brought a hostage as she'd hoped and she was curious. "Are you going to find your Alice?"

"Of course!" He looked affronted by the question. "I know she's here somewhere!"

Jester and the others watched him scamper off like an excited child, singing and skipping his way through the corridors in search of a suitable 'Alice' for his twisted mind games.

"Right..." Jonathan rolled his eyes and leaned back comfortably against the reception desk. "The rest of you know where you're supposed to be, correct?"

Everyone nodded.

"I will be in Solitary with my radio," Bane's voice reverberated off the walls. "If you need me, you call me." He gave Jester, Harley, Poison Ivy and Copperhead a stern look. "Do not hesitate to ask for my assistance, ladies."

"We'll be fine!" Harley blew him a kiss and winked. "Us girls are gonna give those jerks a run for their money!"

"You should know better than to think I would need any assistance, Bane," Copperhead grinned at him and pat him on the arm. "Good luck."

"_You_ should know better than to assume I require any luck," Bane retorted, nudging the snake hybrid playfully. "I will keep the burnt one occupied in the meantime."

His booming laughter was like music to Jester's ears. She hugged him as tight as she possibly could, holding onto him for a few moments before releasing him. "If all goes well tonight, Gotham will be ours."

"Everything will go precisely as planned, darling," Jonathan reassured her, nodding his goodbye to Bane as the hulking luchador made his way out of the main entrance. "With our numbers and your genius plan, we are sure to win tonight."

"I love you," Jester whispered, pulling him close to her and wrapping her arms around him.

"I love it when you say those three little words – really, I do," he pulled back a little and tilted his head, looking her in the eye, "but I'd love them even more if you didn't make them sound like they're the last I'll ever hear."

"I don't mean to. I'm just nervous and paranoid. If anything goes wrong -"

Jonathan cut her off with a kiss, not allowing her to finish her sentence or to let her doubts and anxiety eat away at her. He gently pushed her up against a wall, ignoring the stares and whistles from the rest of their group as he ravaged her mouth with his own. He put his all into the kiss, hoping it would erase all of her uneasiness. "I love you, my gorgeous little clown. I'll see you _soon_."

Jester smiled and nodded, giving him one last hug before he said his goodbyes to the rest of the group and headed for the morgue.

"Alright, ladies," Poison Ivy broke the silence and smiled brightly at Jester, Harley, and Copperhead. "Let's get to work."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Morgue:**

"Your presence is required in the Control Room, Clown," Scarecrow was in full control of Jonathan's body as he filled more than a dozen hypodermic needles with different strains of his Fear Toxin. He set them all up in separate clusters; one for the strain with Copperhead's venom, one for the strain with Poison Ivy's poison and pheromones, one for the strain with Joker Venom, and one for his highly concentrated original strain.

Joker sauntered into the morgue and smirked at Scarecrow, stopping just across the table from where Scarecrow stood and looking closely at his glowing orange irises. "Ouch, Straw Man! Not even a 'hello' first?"

Scarecrow growled in annoyance and met Joker's gaze. "What do you want, Joker?"

"How is she?"

"She's nervous," Scarecrow said coolly. "She'll be fine. She's with Ivy, the snake, and Harley."

Joker picked up one of the Joker Venom x Fear Toxin filled needles and hummed in approval as he examined it. He ignored the dirty look Scarecrow shot him for interrupting him and messing up his setup. "You wouldn't happen to know where exactly she is, would you?"

"I assume she isn't keen on you finding out if her refusal to answer your _repeated_ attempts of reaching her on the radio is anything to go by."

"I see," Joker's eyes flashed for a moment and he set the needle back down carefully. He pinned Scarecrow with his gaze, setting his hands down on the table Scarecrow was using and pursed his lips in irritation. "Tell me, Scaredy-Crow... have you been enjoying keeping my seat warm?"

"So it begins," Scarecrow mused, chuckling under his breath. "I was waiting for the day you'd try to put a stop to this little arrangement. Afraid of losing her, Joker?" He grinned wickedly at Joker from across the table, completely unafraid and confident.

"You know I don't fear anything." Joker leaned forward across the table, getting right in Scarecrow's face to try and intimidate him. "I respect you, Scarecrow, so I'll tell ya the truth – you will never, _ever_ take her from me. Don't delude yourself into thinking she'd ever leave me for you. We both know you're more intelligent than that."

"Do not delude _yourself_ into thinking she'll ever leave me. She will not choose between us, but if you force her hand I guarantee I will be the victor. Unlike you, Joker, I understand her and I am patient with her. You are impatient, irrational, and have a short fuse. You would only push her into my waiting arms." Scarecrow drew himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at Joker. "Perhaps you should be more concerned with fulfilling your role in this breakout since you're one of the reasons she's doing this in the first place."

Joker's eyes darkened and he snarled at Scarecrow from across the table. "The day you try to take her from me will be the day you draw your last breath, Scarecrow. She is _mine. _She is the mother of _my _child. I met her and claimed her first – it is by my grace that you have the liberties you do with her."

"You know, she was just talking about having baby fever and how lovely it was being pregnant the other day. I have to say, it piqued my interest – I've been debating planting a seed of my own in her womb ever since." Scarecrow laughed cruelly as Joker's expression contorted with rage, knowing he struck a nerve. He had no fear – in fact, he hoped Joker would harm him in some way or even attempt to kill him – if he did, Jester would never forgive him and she'd be his and Jonathan's forever.

Joker reined himself in before he lost control, gripping the table so tight his knuckles nearly ripped through his skin. "What a shame it would be if something awful happened to you," Joker threatened. "Accidents happen, or so they say."

"You and I both know she would never forgive you. You're already unraveling after mere days of her giving you the cold shoulder because of the good Doctor – what do you think she'd do if you harmed or killed _us_?"

"Keep pushing me, Straw Man, and we'll find out." Joker flipped the table and grinning maliciously at Scarecrow as the needles hit the floor and smashed, leaving puddles of mixed strains all over the floor. He turned and stormed out of the morgue without a word; more determined to find Jester than he was before.

He was too wrapped up in his rage to hear Scarecrow's laughter echoing down the dark, damp, creepy corridor after him as he set to work filling new needles.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Rooftop:**

"About goddamn time," Deadshot barked as Double-Tap sauntered over to him and dropped a big duffel bag in front of him.

"Don't start with me, man," Double-Tap snapped, glaring at his competition.

Deadshot narrowed his eyes at the other man and crouched down, unzipping the bag and sifting through it. "Who packed this?"

"Who do you think?" Double-Tap rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"That's my girl," Deadshot mused, pulling his mask and all of his favorite guns from the bag. There was a note inside his mask from Harley – a small piece of paper with _'Hiya Puddin'!' _scrawled on it, signed with a cherry red kiss mark.

"Let's get to it." Double-Tap crouched down and retrieved his guns from the bag and made his way to the opposite end of the roof to set up.

"Yo!"

Double-Tap hissed in irritation, craning his neck around to look at Deadshot. "_What_, man?"

"You got a radio on you?"

Double-Tap rolled his eyes again and pulled his radio from his pocket, waving it obnoxiously at Deadshot. "Can we work in silence now?"

"Man, shut up. I'm doing my damn job. Don't be mad that nobody had enough faith in your ass to put you up here by yourself." Deadshot smirked at him and turned back around at his post, setting up all his guns and slipping his mask on.

"If you're so good, why was I put up here with you?"

Deadshot laughed, turning back to face Double-Tap. "To learn from the best."

"Cocky prick," Double-Tap sneered.

"I ain't the only one."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – The Jungle:**

"Did we miss the announcement?" Tommy was pacing the Jungle, trying to burn off excess energy and his anxiety. "What are we waiting for?"

"Relax, kiddo," Johnny chuckled. He was sitting down on one of the benches with Hammer and a few other guys. "He's not in the Control Room yet. Probably prowling around trying to find Jester since she won't answer him."

"Jesus Christ, we're never getting outta here at this rate." Tommy scoffed, finally planting himself down at an empty table. He lit up a smoke for himself and shook his head. "Can't he just wait until we're all outta here?"

"You know J," Johnny quipped. "He does what he wants when he wants and nobody gets in his way."

"Nobody but my cousin."

Hammer laughed, looking across the way at Tommy. "We've got all morning and day, man. Either way, we're gonna be stuck here for a long time. Might as well get comfortable and relax while you still have some time to."

Tommy huffed and looked at his watch. 3:42 AM. "We're never going home, man."

Johnny, Hammer, and the rest of the guys hung out and played cards to pass the time, more than happy to sit there relaxing and bullshitting until all of the action began.

**\- xxx -**

_*****I know I'm leaving you guys with a bit of a cliff hanger but I promise it'll be worth it! I have very, very big plans for this breakout, our villain friends, the Bat-Family and Gotham. _

_**As I said, there will be a sequel! All of this is building up to it. :)**_


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Buckle up, darlings! It's gonna be a wild ride._

**\- xxx -**

**Joker's Funhouse – The Midway:**

"What the hell is this place?" Commissioner Gordon got out of his squad car and immediately stormed towards the main entrance of the Funhouse, taking in its abandoned and decrepit state.

"Must be their hideout or something," Officer Santos kept his voice cool and calm, playing stupid perfectly. He glanced at his partner and gave him a warning look behind Commissioner Gordon, a silent threat not to slip up.

"We shouldn't go in until we've called for backup – something doesn't feel right," Commissioner Gordon pulled out his cell phone, frowning at the 'No Signal' message on his screen as he tried to call HQ.

"What's wrong, Sir?" Officer Deckard did a good job of hiding his nervousness and playing dumb, keeping his tone as silky as always.

"No signal," Commissioner Gordon mumbled. "Check your phones – do you have a signal?"

"Nada," Officer Santos shook his head and adopted a puzzled look as he stared at his screen. "Just says 'No Signal.'"

"Same," Officer Deckard chimed in. "No data either, and I have unlimited data with roaming."

"_Jammers_," Commissioner Gordon growled. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She hasn't gotten caught yet, not by us or by the Batman. She's smart."

"She is," Officer Santos was nonchalant, walking through the entrance just behind the Commissioner. He knew Ruiz and Bane's men were lurking nearby. The plan was to get the Commissioner there and into the Midway so they could make their move. They were almost at the 'checkpoint', as they had labeled it, and Officer Santos bit the inside of his cheek to hide his smirk as Commissioner Gordon stormed through the Midway like he was on a mission, hell-bent on finding his daughter. Little did he know, she was already dead.

"Spread out," Commissioner Gordon barked, drawing his gun and slowing down to take in their surroundings. "Deckard, you go right. Santos, you go left. If you run into any trouble, fire off a shot and I'll find you."

"Roger that," Officer Deckard took off in the direction the Commissioner had pointed him in, glancing over his shoulder at his partner who was doing the same, both of them walking with their guns drawn and still playing their roles. The plan was going perfectly – they knew that without backup, the Commissioner would want them to spread out to cover more ground and find Barbara faster, leaving him open and vulnerable to Ruiz's blitz attack.

It came sooner than both Officers expected. They heard a startled shout and a clanging noise and knew Ruiz had gotten to the Commissioner. Both officers ran towards the source of the commotion, guns still drawn just in case Gordon had gotten the jump on Ruiz, and found the Commissioner lying unconscious on the ground with a very smug-looking Ruiz standing over him with a pipe at his feet.

Ruiz stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled, drawing the attention of the men under his command – a mixture of Joker's guys and Bane's guys. "Take him to the Ha-Ha-Hacienda, boys." A couple of them lifted the Commissioner off the ground, carrying him by his arms and legs behind Ruiz as they made their way to Joker's HQ. Some of them looked a little too excited about taking part in killing the gruff, jaded veteran cop.

"Looks like you've got this handled," Officer Santos mused, watching as the two henchmen tossed the Commissioner to the floor inside the Ha-Ha-Hacienda. "We'll be at the station."

"Santos," Ruiz stopped Luis just before he reached the door. Luis motioned with a flick of his wrist for Daryl to wait for him outside. Once his partner was gone and the door was shut, Luis turned to face Ruiz.

"Qué pasa?"

"I need you to stop by the safe house and check on the cat and the lunatic, but I can't allow your partner to accompany you." Ruiz's expression was stern.

"If he goes back to the station without me, it'll look sus, especially with the Commissioner missing. I'd either have to take him with me and fake a call or make up a convincing alibi for myself."

Ruiz nodded, mulling it over for a moment. "Get back to your car with ese perro. Once you're past the jammers, call Jester – not El Demonio or the Payaso. See what she says. If she says no, go back to the station and run interference."

"And if she says yes?"

"Stay at the house until we're back. I don't trust that vato loco in the basement. If he gets out, kill him and make sure there's nothing left to resurrect."

"Dalo por hecho." Officer Santos shook Ruiz's hand before making his way out of the Ha-Ha-Hacienda, ignoring the curious look his partner was fixing him with. "Let's go." He moved quickly through the Midway and back towards the undercover car, itching to call Jester so he'd know his next move. He didn't like sitting around and waiting, he liked to be in on the action. Even guarding the house was better than dicking around in the bullpen.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Main Corridor:**

"Rogue roll call..."

Jester was sneaking down the corridor that led to the Infirmary where Copperhead and Harley were currently waiting for her. Poison Ivy was in the Jungle, posted in one of the guard towers and manipulating several plants to grow large enough to trap humans. She kept a steady flow of spores floating through the prison, keeping the guards brainwashed and compliant. They were spread out throughout the prison to be used as hostages, bait, and to attack the Bat-Family on demand. The regular staff members were trapped in the cafeteria with the Mad Hatter, hypnotized to do his bidding and participate in his deluded tea party.

"All set up in the morgue, my love," Scarecrow's growl came through the radio immediately and Jester grinned, happy to hear his voice. With all the time they had been spending together and how angry she was at Joker, she missed his company as she walked along the deserted, dark corridor.

"_In position on the roof with Deadshit." _

Jester rolled her eyes at Double-Tap's lame slight at Deadshot and ignored his light chuckle over the static of the radio.

"_Toasty and I are set up in Solitary, Mortifera,"_ Bane's voice boomed so loudly through the radio that it seemed as if he was right next to her. She laughed, shaking her head. If Bane contacted any of them through the radio at all during the night, the rodent squad would find them all easily.

"_Hammer reporting from the Jungle with the crazy plant lady."_

Jester snickered, knowing Poison Ivy was likely to whip him with a thick vine for the insult. She wished, for only a moment, she was there to witness it.

"_Razor and I are posted in the main corridor with the boys."_

There was crackling from the radio and Jester listened carefully as Mad Hatter spoke in hushed tones to someone in the cafeteria with him. She wasn't sure if he was aware that he was actively on the radio, but she listened to his rantings anyway. _"Now, I've invited a special guest to tea and I expect you all to be at your most accommodating! I should tidy up before my guest arrives..."_

"Riddler?"

"_Riddler here! I am in the system and ready to go. Waiting on your green light to take over the radio towers." _

Jester nodded to herself, doing the math in her head. Scarecrow, Two-Face, Bane, Double-Tap, Deadshot, Johnny, Razor, Hammer, Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter, and Riddler were all accounted for, but some were missing. She knew Copperhead and Harley were in the Infirmary, so that left Joker. Sure, he had been pestering her over the radio before and she had ignored him, but she didn't think it would cause him not to check-in. Riddler seemed way too content on his end of the radio to be in Joker's presence, and knowing J the way she did, he would've jumped on checking in before Riddler got a chance if he was in the Control Room where he was supposed to be.

"So where the hell is -"

"Hello, baby."

Joker's purr in her ear sent a tiny shiver down her spine and she did her best to hide it from him. She clenched her jaw and turned to glare at him. "You're supposed to be in the Control Room."

"Isn't this the way?" He feigned confusion, scanning their surroundings and stroking his chin. "Huh. I must've gotten lost!"

She cut off his delightful giggle with a snap of her fingers. "What do you want, J? We don't have time for this shit. Have you forgotten about Ace – you know, your _son_? The baby waiting for his daddy to come home?"

"Funny you should mention that," Joker's expression quickly shifted into one of controlled rage. He stepped closer to her, looming threateningly over her as his gaze bore into hers. "A little birdie told me you have _baby fever_. Is that true?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jester's eyebrows knit together in her confusion. She didn't recall saying anything about having baby fever. She mulled his question over for a few minutes, trying to figure out who would've told him that and if she said it. Realization dawned on her just as he snapped.

"Don't play stupid with me, Jester! Answer the question! Is it _true_?"

Jester tried to piece together a careful response. She recalled saying it when Catwoman admitted to her pregnancy. She didn't want to give Catwoman's secret away but she needed to answer J before things got out of hand. They simply did not have the time for this, and if they started fighting now, it would fuck them over once the rodent squad showed up. They had to work together – any hostility between any of them could be used against them.

"I mentioned it in passing, but I haven't put much thought into it since. It was a fleeting thing. Who told you that?" She raised an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips.

A wicked grin stretched across Joker's face and his eyes sparkled with malice. This was the perfect opportunity to throw Scarecrow under the bus and shift Jester's scorn from himself to the other man. "You might say it was a crow of sorts," he inferred, winking at her.

"And what context was it said in?"

"Oh, let me see..." He chuckled, leaning back against the wall and adopting a thoughtful expression. "Oh, right! Straw Man said, and I quote," he giggled as he recalled the conversation, playing it over in his mind verbatim, "_'She was just talking about having baby fever and how lovely it was being pregnant the other day. I have to say, it piqued my interest – I've been debating planting a seed of my own in her womb ever since.'_" He mocked Scarecrow's growl almost perfectly.

Jester nodded, mulling it all over in her mind. She couldn't quite pinpoint how she felt about it. On one hand, she was angry that Scarecrow had said that to Joker in an obvious attempt to get under his skin and make him insecure, especially since it seemed like there was some weight to what he said. On the other hand, she was intrigued – she hadn't ever imagined Jonathan or Scarecrow being the type to want a child. Sure, both of them were wonderful with Ace and Reina, but neither of them ever spoke about children or wanting them. It certainly piqued _her_ interest enough to want to talk to the two of them about it once they all returned home and got some rest. It wasn't like she hadn't entertained the thought herself, after all – even if it was just fleetingly.

"I see."

Joker's eyes widened and his expression went blank. "That's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?" Jester shrugged at him, completely nonchalant. "Scarecrow and I haven't ever spoken about it. I wasn't even aware he was entertaining those thoughts – I'm not sure if Jonathan is even aware of Scarecrow's thoughts, and even if he is, he hasn't said a word to me about it either."

"Let me see if I understand this correctly," Joker snarled, glaring at her. "The beast tells me he's thinking of knocking you up, and you're not even _slightly_ angry?"

"Why would I be?" Jester rolled her eyes, leaning back against the opposite wall. "Like I said, neither of them have brought it up with me. I know they wouldn't do something like that without talking to me about it first. What's there to be angry about? I'm not going to be angry at either one of them for entertaining the idea of having a child with me. It's a natural thing, isn't it? Wanting to have a child with the woman you love?"

"You're forgetting something, _princess_," Joker stalked towards her, pinning her against the wall with his arms on either side of hers and his nose touching hers. "I got snipped for _you_ because _you_ didn't want any more children. _I_ did, and _you_ didn't. You were going to get your lady bits scraped out so I got snipped instead to keep you from mutilating your insides. I'd _hate_ to think you've changed your mind and want another child after all of that."

Jester felt a pang of guilt in her chest and frowned slightly. She met his gaze unflinchingly, looking deep into his eyes and noticing the sadness behind his obvious rage. "You forget you also got snipped because my birth control doesn't stand a chance against you. I had _just _given birth, and even now my body still isn't ready for another one even if I wanted one. We couldn't have sex at all if one of us didn't get fixed – we would have conceived over and over again. It was a matter of responsibility, J."

"The way you're talking, Jester, it almost sounds like you're debating what Scarecrow told me," Joker grit his teeth and Jester noticed the ticking in his jaw. "You still haven't answered my fucking question. Is. It. TRUE?"

Jester sighed, lifting her hands to rub her temples in an attempt to ward off the oncoming headache. "What do you want from me, J? I'm a woman, I can't help it! Sometimes I hold Ace or Reina or watch them sleep, or watch them coo at each other and think it would be nice for Ace to have a sibling to grow up with. Sometimes I hold Ace and think about how fast he'll grow and how this precious infant stage won't last forever and it makes me want another one. Sometimes I think about the others, like Harls and D.S. Trying to get pregnant and it makes me miss the excitement of having a baby. It's natural to feel that way, I can't help it. It doesn't mean I want another baby or even think about it. I haven't put too much stock into the idea."

Joker backed away from her and paced the corridor as he mulled over everything she said. He dug a cigarette out of the pack strapped in his holster and struck a match to light it, taking several deep drags to try and calm his frayed nerves. She wasn't necessarily saying she wanted another baby, and she wasn't necessarily saying she didn't either. He knew he couldn't be angry about it – she was right, these thoughts and feelings were natural for women to have, especially after having a child. He tried to calm his simmering rage and his irrational insecurity as Scarecrow's words haunted his thoughts, but it was difficult when Jester hadn't outright denied wanting another child.

_What if she does want one, just not with me? What if she's entertaining the thought of another child with __**them**__? _

_No, she wouldn't do that. She loves __**me**__, she belongs to __**me**__, she's the mother to __**my **__son. Surely if she were to have another, it would be with __**me**__. The Doc said vasectomies are reversible – I could give her another if she wanted it._

_She didn't say it to me, though. No, she said it while I was locked in my cage like an animal, far away from her. She voiced those thoughts to __**him**__ – not me. _

Joker's insecurity got the best of him and he stalked back over to her, grabbing her roughly by the hair and yanking her closer to him until they were nose-to-nose again. With his free hand, he roughly gripped her face and held her there, forcing her to look him in the eye and being careful not to burn her with his smoke. "You want another one, don't you? You want another with _**them**_! How convenient for you that I'm fixed like a fucking dog and he isn't! How _coincidental_ that you mentioned this baby fever while I was locked away in this hell hole and you were fucking _them_ at home!"

Jester glared at him and wrenched his hands off of her, backing up to put some distance between them. Her right hand twitched a little as the urge to hit him rushed through her like a tidal wave. She fought it off, knowing it was a bad idea to start the night off this way and reminded herself that she needed to snuff out his rage instead of fueling it.

"There are a lot of things we need to discuss, J," she kept her tone calm and neutral, lifting her chin in a show of defiance and confidence, letting him know she would not be intimidated by him. "Unfortunately, this is not the time or place to do so. Let's get through this breakout, carry out our plans, and we can discuss this once we are back home."

Joker growled, shaking with his rage. His eyes blazed and darkened slightly and Jester sighed, running a hand through her blood-soaked hair.

"Please, J. It has been a long night already – I've been at it since midnight and we're coming up on 4 AM. We need to get back home to Ace. He misses his daddy – he _needs_ his daddy."

"I know he does, but do _you_?" Joker was trying his hardest to fight off his Madness, knowing she had a point and the most important thing right now was carrying out their plans and getting back home to his son.

"Of course I do, you jerk!" She gave him a playful smirk to try and calm him. "I'm mad as hell at you, but it doesn't mean I don't miss you. You did something awful and you hurt me, but it doesn't mean I don't love you anymore." Her face dropped and she frowned slightly, reminded of how brokenhearted and hurt she was that four of the people she loved and trusted the most had betrayed her. "We have a lot of shit to sort out, J, but it has to wait. The longer we take here, the higher the risk of us never getting back home."

Joker hated the way her sadness always caused his heart to ache and pain to shoot through his chest. "Damn you, woman," he growled under his breath, closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around her. He tangled a hand in her hair, gently pulling her head into his shoulder. "Fine, but only if you promise to talk to me when we get home."

"I promise," her voice was muffled since her face was buried in his bare shoulder, but he heard her just fine.

"Jester... I really am sorry for what I've done. The boys are too."

"That's not enough," Jester pulled her face away from his shoulder and looked up at him. "You guys broke my trust, and that's a terrible thing to do... especially to someone like me. You know that better than anyone," he nodded in acknowledgment, not saying a word so she could continue. "Let's get on with it, shall we?"

Joker nodded again, letting her pull away from him. "One more question," he raked his eyes over her from head to toe, taking in the dried blood in her hair, on her skin and bodysuit. "Whose blood is that?"

Jester bit her bottom lip and raked a hand through her hair, shifting her feet nervously. "Barbara Gordon's," she murmured, refusing to meet his eyes. "That's why I want to get this all done and over with quickly. I can't afford the Bat Brats getting the upper-hand on us... Batsy might just break his code tonight once he finds out about Barbara and the _other_ thing."

Joker raised his eyebrows at her and gave her a stern look as he lifted her chin. "Look at me," he commanded softly, studying the anxiety in her expression. When she met his eyes, he saw a hint of fear in them and it bothered him. "What's this '_other_ _thing_?'"

Jester looked around the corridor, making sure no one would hear her next words. She spoke softly so her voice wouldn't carry. "Commissioner Gordon is being tortured at the Funhouse as we speak – once Ruiz is done with the tasks I set for him, he's killing the Commissioner."

"Care to go into detail, darling?" Joker couldn't help the wicked grin that stretched from ear to ear on his pale face at the thought of the Commissioner suffering at the hands of his soon-to-be-wife.

"It's better if I don't," she answered. "Plausible deniability, ya know?"

"You know I'd never let those idiots hurt you, don't you?" He kissed her forehead, pulling her into his arms once more to try and comfort her.

"I know," she mumbled. "But you and I won't be near each other at all today. I'll be fine, though. I'll be with Copperhead and Harley."

"Until the three of you distract and separate the brats," Joker growled. "I haven't forgotten your part of the plan."

"Whoever I lure will be lured to either the Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, or Ivy. I'll be fine."

An idea struck him and he smirked, his bloodlust racing through his veins. "Think you can do me a favor, princess?"

Jester nodded.

"Try and get the little birdbrain after you. I don't care who you lure him to first, just make sure to bring him to _me _last."

"What are you going to do?" Jester looked up at him, curiosity written all over her face.

"Plausible deniability, remember?"

Joker grinned at her and lowered his head, hoping she'd at least let him kiss her before they parted ways. "Will you let me escort you the rest of the way to the Infirmary? That's where you were headed, isn't it?"

Jester nodded, taking the hand he had extended to her. He laced their fingers together and tugged her back towards him when she turned to walk away. Before she could say a word, he cupped her face in his free hand and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss, sighing in relief when she returned it. "I love you, my little bird," he whispered, stroking her hair affectionately.

"I love you too, even if you're an asshole."

**\- xxx -**

**The Mansion Safe House – The Basement:**

"That looks delicious," Victor Zsasz licked his lips and grinned at Catwoman as she came closer to the gas chamber he was currently locked inside with a turkey sandwich on a plate.

"Shut up," she hissed, glaring at him. "You're lucky Jester wants to keep you alive to torture you for information – otherwise, the rest of us would have no problem killing you."

"It's lovely to see you too, kitten," Zsasz mused. "So, does _everyone _hate me, or do I have any friends left in the Rogue circles?"

"Friends? _You_?" Catwoman snorted, slipping the tray through a little slot in the glass. She closed it back up and locked it, keeping a careful eye on Zsasz.

"You've got a point," he admitted, taking his tray to the little metal chair in the corner of the chamber and setting it down in his lap as he sat down. "I assume that's why I wasn't included in the breakout plans?"

"How do you know about that?" Catwoman sneered at him, folding her arms over her chest.

Zsasz chuckled and pointed up at the ceiling. "The vents," he said. "Of course this one is sealed, but the others aren't." He motioned with his chin behind Catwoman.

She looked up at the ceiling and scowled, noticing the few vents he was referring to. "I see."

"I can be of assistance, you know," Zsasz continued, taking a bite of his sandwich. "It isn't like I don't have any experience."

"If you think I'll turn you loose, you're more insane than you were before."

"Ouch," he frowned, setting his sandwich back down on the tray. "How else will I prove my loyalty and eagerness to gain everyone's trust and friendship?"

Catwoman rolled her eyes. "That will never happen, Zsasz. We all know you'd only turn around and put a knife in our backs – pun intended."

"You know," he tilted his head, raising his eyebrows at her and smirking. "One could say the same about you. You were once Batman's love interest and walked the line between hero and villain, yet they all trust and love you. You live here with the rest of them – part of their big, happy Rogue family. Hell, Joker even trusts you with his child."

"We need to seal the rest of these fucking vents," Catwoman muttered, shaking her head.

"Admit it, Selina. You were the least trustworthy of the bunch, but you proved yourself to them. Why shouldn't I be given the same chance? I'm not the same as I was before Jester killed me."

"I won't say that your argument doesn't have any merit, but you and I both know you are not getting out of that chamber. I would never betray Jester."

"So they trust that nutty pedophile to hold a bunch of Blackgate staff hostage with his hypnotism, but they don't trust me enough to help? I'm not stupid, I know Mad Hatter, Two-Face, and Double-Tap are being used as expendables – collateral, even. Why shouldn't I be allowed to join in on the fun?"

"You want to be used as collateral?" Catwoman chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. "You really are nuts."

"Does Jester know Mad Hatter is a pedophile? It seems to me that he is the type to end up on the business end of her gun if I'm not mistaken." Zsasz raised an eyebrow at Catwoman, looking a little too smug for her liking.

"Shut up and eat your damn sandwich," Catwoman hissed, turning to walk away.

"It would be a shame, kitten if she found out. She'd be one ally down in the breakout."

"You have no way of reaching her," Catwoman turned to glare at him. "So I'm not too concerned about it."

"_You_ do," he argued, grinning at her. "If you're a true friend and your loyalty lies with her, why not tell her the truth? After all, if Mad Hatter wanted, he could successfully hypnotize her to harm her child or to expose this hideout to him. He could hypnotize any of them into doing it. Say he runs into Ruiz at Giggles and hypnotizes him into doing his bidding – he could find out about this safe house and steal little Reina once she's at a _desirable age._" His eyes widened and he gasped dramatically, leaning forward in his seat. "What if Harley Quinn _does _conceive and eventually gives birth to a _blonde _little girl, and that little girl happens to cross paths with Jervis one day?"

"That's enough," Catwoman threatened, coming closer to the glass and pinning him with her gaze.

"That rage in your eyes tells me I'm right," Zsasz said coolly. "At least give me the chance to speak to her ask her if I can join in on the fun. After all, it would only benefit her. I'd be far away from the babies, I'd serve as more collateral and a better distraction for the Batman. It's a win-win for her!"

"I hate to say it, Selina, but he's right."

Catwoman startled a little at the sound of Officer Santos' voice echoing through the basement. "Christ, Luis! What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the Funhouse."

"Nope, Ruiz and Bane's men are handling it from there. Ruiz wanted me to come here to check on you guys and be an extra layer of protection, but I couldn't come here without my partner. If Daryl showed up at the GCPD without me, there would be too many questions." He kicked off the wall he was leaning against and approached Catwoman, keeping his eyes on Zsasz as he continued. "Ruiz had me call Jester to see what she'd want me to do, and she agreed to Daryl and I both coming here. I think it's worth calling her. Zsasz would be a good distraction and I think they could use him."

Catwoman groaned, raking a hand through her long black locks. "You're calling her, then." She glared at Ruiz and Zsasz as she made her way across the basement to the stairs. "I refuse to have any part in letting that wingnut loose."

"Fine," Luis laughed, shaking his head as he pulled his burner phone from his pocket. "That just means you'll have to deal with Daryl upstairs."

Catwoman hissed at him and flipped him the bird as she ascended the stairs, making both men laugh even harder.

Luis dialed Jester's number and put the call on speakerphone as it rang. He gave Zsasz a serious look through the glass. "I'm not gonna plead your case for you, vato loco."

"Oh, I wasn't expecting you to." Zsasz grinned wickedly at him as Jester finally answered. "I like to speak for myself."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Main Corridor:**

Doctor Evans scurried into an empty office and carefully shut and locked the door behind her. She barricaded it with a desk, a chair, and several other items that she prayed would hold it. She was very lucky to be in the main corridor when the loud, jarring sounds of cells opening and alarms blaring rang out throughout the entire prison. She was close to all of the offices and visitation rooms, able to scurry into one and hide before any of the inmates reached the corridor. She was still reeling from the conversation she overheard between Joker and Jester.

After wasting entirely too much time trying to hide from henchmen that were never coming after her, she had finally reached the main corridor. She had been so close to the main doors – so close to _freedom_ – when Jester and the other Rogues showed up and began stalking through the corridors. She slipped into one of the visitation rooms and crouched in the far corner, hoping none of them would poke their heads in and find her.

She kept playing the clowns' argument over and over in her mind, bewildered at the thought of Joker having a child, let alone having any kind of capacity to love or care for another at all. This meant that his cruel, domineering, and controlling persona was either all an act or just one side of him. Surely a man the likes of the one she dealt with wasn't capable of loving a woman and feeling things like jealousy, insecurity, and remorse, right?

Her eyes widened as she realized just how bad of an idea it was to try and resemble Jester before her chemical bath. Jester wasn't just a sidekick or arm candy to the Joker – she was his other half, the mother of his child, and the calm in his storm. Doctor Evans was shocked by how quickly and easily Jester was able to calm Joker down and pull him back from the edge. She couldn't believe her ears when she heard Joker apologize to Jester for hurting her. The man really, truly loved and cared for her and needed her. To try and manipulate a response from him by copying Jester's original looks was a terrible thing to do. If he hadn't been locked in that cell, he probably would've killed her as soon as he laid eyes on her. She thought back to that first day when she willingly walked into his cell and shuddered. He could have killed her and she always knew that, but after seeing his interaction with Jester she realized just how lucky she was that he didn't.

Another thought struck her and a chill ran down her spine. Jester had been covered in blood – blood that she said belonged to the Commissioner's daughter. She killed Barbara Gordon! Even worse, the Commissioner himself was being tortured somewhere else at the present moment and would be killed soon. She shuddered violently, rubbing her arms and bringing her knees up to her chest. If the Commissioner was missing – or worse, _dead_ – the GCPD stood no chance of stopping these psychopaths. There were too many Rogues here, and with all of the inmates loose Batman and his sidekicks were heavily outnumbered and barely stood a chance.

She briefly considered calling the GCPD to warn them, but she knew that if she did, they'd come here to try and stop the Rogues and they'd all end up dead. She didn't want that on her conscience. She wasn't sure what the Rogues were attempting to do tonight – she knew they were breaking Joker and his guys out, but she wasn't too sure what their plans were for the Bat-Family. One thing was for sure, though – whatever they had planned wouldn't end well for the Bat-Family if they succeeded.

She gasped when she heard Joker's voice and wicked laughter booming through the prison, clutching at her chest as she backed herself into a far corner behind a file cabinet.

"_**Gooooood evening, ladies, gents and crooks of all kinds! Uncle J here, but you can call me Warden Joker. I've taken over Blackgate with the help of my crafty friends and I've decided to have a little party!" **_

A bout of wicked laughter echoed through the corridors and reverberated off of the stone walls, making Doctor Evans' blood run cold.

"_**Now some of you might be thinking, 'what is this crazy clown up to now?' Well, I'll tell ya! Tonight the Bat-Family dies. If any of you get in our way, we'll kill ya. That reminds me – if anyone sees a stray hostage or two, kill them! Consider them early Christmas gifts from yours truly!"**_

Another bout of wicked, delirious laughter. Doctor Evans folded her arms over her knees and buried her face in them as she cried, panicked and terrified and not sure how to get the hell out of here. She knew she could reach the main doors at this point, but even if she reached them without anyone seeing her, she wasn't sure what she'd be met with outside on the grounds. As far as she was concerned, she was trapped hiding in this room until it was all over.

It was going to be a long, _long_ day.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – The Morgue:**

_'We need to talk.'_

Scarecrow stared at the text message on his screen as he made his way to the Infirmary where he knew Jester was. He received the message nearly ten minutes ago and had a feeling this couldn't be good. He wasn't sure if Joker had found her or not, but his gut was telling him this text message had something to do with the arrogant clown.

He finally reached the Infirmary and poked his burlap-covered head inside, catching Jester's eye as she chatted away with Harley and Copperhead. "A moment?"

Jester nodded, excusing herself politely as she made her way out of the Infirmary and into the corridor. She walked towards the end of the corridor, ducking around the corner and waiting for Scarecrow to catch up with her. "You didn't have to come up here now, you know," she gave him a small smile, leaning casually against the wall.

"I'm aware," he answered, frowning slightly at her. "However, something tells me whatever we need to talk about has something to do with the Clown. I assume you heard about our little spat in the Morgue?"

"Spat?" Jester's eyebrows furrowed and she frowned. "What spat?"

Scarecrow chuckled, shaking his head. "He didn't tell you. _Of_ _course,_ he didn't tell you."

"Didn't tell me what?"

"Come with me," Scarecrow held his long, clawed hand out to her and grinned when she took it. He led her down the corridor until he found an empty office and he ushered her inside before him.

He closed the door behind him and locked it before transforming back into Jonathan's form. Once he was in Jonathan's skin again, he grinned wickedly at her and backed her into the desk. He lifted her and sat her down on the edge of the desk, settling himself between her spread legs and gripping her thighs in his hands. "The Clown and I argued," he explained, stroking the skin of her inner thighs with his thumbs. "Why don't you tell me what he told you? I can fill in the blanks for you."

"He told me that you said I mentioned having baby fever and that you told him you were thinking of knocking me up." She chewed on her bottom lip as her arousal spiked at his touch, trying to keep her mind clear and her thoughts in check.

"I did," Scarecrow admitted nonchalantly. "Not in those exact words, but that sums it up."

"Why'd you say it?"

He smiled at her, pecking her quickly on the lips. "Because I meant it," he whispered, watching her face carefully for her reaction.

She paled a little, her eyes going wide with shock and her mouth hanging open. "What?"

"I meant it," he repeated, slowly sliding his hands up her thighs and to her hips. "Joker was perturbed that I wouldn't give him your location and hinted at putting a stop to our relationship with you. I was being petty and spiteful at the time, wanting to get under his skin and cause him discomfort, but I meant what I said."

"I want to know everything," she pinned him with her gaze and he nodded.

Scarecrow caressed her sides with his hands as he recounted the entire argument from start to finish for her, including Joker's not-so-subtle threat to kill him.

Jester's eyes narrowed and her blood boiled as rage coursed through her veins. "That sneaky, no-good son of a bitch!"

"Calm down, love. You know as well as I do that he was lashing out because he was jealous, insecure, and hurt. You also know that he will not do anything to me – even if he wanted to, he knows you'd never forgive him."

"This whole thing was HIS idea! _He_ wanted us to do this! _He_ wanted us to be together! Now he's making threats and trying to stop it? He has some fucking nerve!"

"Jonathan and I aren't going anywhere, darling," Scarecrow cooed, gently pushing her down so she was lying back on top of the desk. "He'd have to kill us, and I wouldn't allow that to happen."

"His apology didn't mean shit," Jester growled, her eyes darkening slightly in her rage. "He didn't say a damn thing about your argument with him aside from you telling him you thought about knocking me up. Yet _ANOTHER_ thing he did behind my back and hid from me!"

"You and I both know that any comment I make on the subject will be completely biased," Scarecrow mused, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. "So how about I help you relax instead? You're quite tense, my love."

"Wait." She bit her lip and held up a finger at him. "I'm not done talking about the whole baby thing."

Scarecrow nodded, slipping out of his shirt and lowering his mouth to her neck. "Let's talk about it then," he murmured, pressing soft kisses along her jaw and throat. "I have nothing to hide from you."

She bit back a moan and threaded her fingers through his hair. "You told me you meant what you said – does that only apply to you, or has Jonathan entertained the same thought?"

Scarecrow stopped what he was doing and propped himself up over her with his hands on either side of her head. He let Jonathan join the conversation so they could get everything out in the open and get the discussion over with.

Jester noticed the change immediately – Scarecrow's eyes had gone from bright orange to sky blue rimmed with bright orange. They were both speaking to her now. She said nothing, allowing them to talk.

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it from time to time," the dual voice said. "I watch you with Ace and Reina and wonder what it would be like to see you with a child of our own. I envy Joker for having one with you – a living, breathing piece of the two of you. I love Ace very much, and I imagine sometimes how much more I might love a child of my own."

"He's furious about it," Jester murmured, chewing nervously on her bottom lip and tapping her temple with her pointer finger. "Take a look."

"Relax for me," Scarecrow's growl drowned out the soft tone of Jonathan's voice. "You're too anxious, your thoughts are scrambled."

Jester nodded, taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly to try and calm her anxiety. Scarecrow noticed her struggling and lowered his head, kissing his way along her jaw and throat, delving into her mind once she relaxed underneath him.

Scarecrow knew Jonathan was still present, seeing everything that he was when he found the memory of Jester's argument with Joker in the corridor. Scarecrow bit back a burst of cruel laughter as he watched Joker unravel in a fit of insecurity and jealous rage, smiling to himself as the Clown accused Jester of wanting another child with himself and Jonathan. He watched the rest of the memory play out, soothing Jester with soft kisses to her lips, chest, collarbone, throat, jaw, and cheeks. Once the memory was over, he removed himself from her mind and ravaged her mouth with a hungry, passionate kiss.

Jester responded immediately, wrapping her arms tight around his neck and locking her legs around him, pressing herself as close as she could to his body. He was tempted to look into her mind again, wanting to see what she was thinking at the moment and if she wanted a child with himself and Jonathan or not, but he didn't want to invade her privacy and betray her trust like the others had. He would only go into her mind if she permitted him.

"Forget about Joker for a moment," Scarecrow murmured, letting Jonathan's soft voice balance out his harsh growl. "Have you thought about it? Do you want one with us?"

"I can't," she whispered. "I'd be betraying him – _hurting_ him."

"Push your guilt aside, my love," Scarecrow insisted. "Focus only on yourself and your happiness. If you tell us no, we will never bring this up again, and we will continue our relationship with you. However..." he kissed her once more on the lips, tangling both hands in her hair, "if you tell us you want one, we will give you one right now – or whenever you're ready."

"Don't!" She shoved him away from her and scrambled to get to her feet, creating some distance between them. Panic and fear slammed through her and she found it hard to breathe, trembling where she stood. "I can't! He'll kill you, he might even kill me, and who knows what the hell he'd do to the baby! I can't! I just can't!"

"Breathe, my love," Scarecrow cooed, slowly approaching her. "Focus on me and count to ten." He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, hoping his heartbeat might help comfort and calm her. "In his own words, _'accidents happen.'_" Scarecrow chuckled and rubbed her back to comfort and soothe her. "What if we just had a happy little _accident_?"

"He'll kill you," Jester argued, burying her face in his bare chest. "He'll kill you both and he'll hurt me and the baby, I just know it."

"Do you think we'd allow that?" Scarecrow chuckled and lifted her so her legs were wrapped around his waist. Jester wrapped her arms tight around his neck and kept her face buried in his chest, not daring to look up into those sky blue and orange eyes. "We would never allow any harm to come to you or our child, and you know it."

"It would be wrong," she argued weakly. "It wouldn't be fair to him."

"He's gone behind your back twice now," Scarecrow reminded her coolly. "He has betrayed your trust, hidden things from you and hurt you. Was any of it fair to _you_?"

"Don't do that," Jester whispered, clutching at his shoulders. "Don't manipulate me."

"I assure you I'm not," Scarecrow countered. "I'm simply stating facts, darling, and you know it. What does it matter if you hurt him? He continues to hurt you without a care in the world about your feelings. You said it yourself – his apology for going behind your back with the good Doctor and hiding it from you tonight meant nothing. He would have hidden his argument with me from you for ages – we both know he only told you what he did to try and shift your anger at him towards me."

Jester tried to ignore him. He was making sense, he was _right_ and she knew it. Her eyes widened in panic when he draped her over the desk and grinned wolfishly at her.

"Littlest clown," he purred, standing between her spread legs and tracing his thumb down her cheek. "Answer the question... _please_."

"I can't," she murmured, her bottom lip quivering slightly. "I'm too fucking scared."

"Shhh," Scarecrow cooed, his eyes going completely orange once more. "You have nothing to fear, my littlest clown. Nothing at all."

"I have to go," Jester insisted, sitting up on the desk and blinking furiously to fight off her tears. "I've been gone too long, and so have you. We need to get back to our sections."

"As you wish." Scarecrow's face dropped and he looked away from her. He plucked his shirt up off the ground and slipped it back on, smoothing out the wrinkles and brushing off the dirt once it was buttoned up. "Good luck. Be careful."

He didn't give her a chance to respond before slipping out of the room and quickly making his way back down to the Morgue, transforming back into his true form and busying himself with his work to keep his rage and his pain at bay.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – The Infirmary:**

"What the hell happened? Did that damn demon hurt ya? I'll kill him, you just gimme the word, Jestah!" Harley rushed to Jester and pulled her into a tight hug, stroking her hair and cooing at her to try and soothe her.

Jester had sulked into the Infirmary with tearstained cheeks, smeared and ruined makeup, and a dreadful look on her face that concerned Copperhead and Harley very much. She looked broken.

"I will bite him and watch as his insides disintegrate," Copperhead hissed the threat, her glowing snake eyes flashing dangerously.

"No, it's not him. Not really. It's me. It's me and my stupid brain and my stupid feelings." Jester buried her head in the crook of Harley's neck and threw her arms around her, fighting off another wave of tears.

"I got an idea," Harley chirped, pulling Jester away and holding her at arm's length as she grinned at her. "Let's fix up that gorgeous face and hair of yours and you can tell us all about it. You'll look so damn good that both of those idiots will kick themselves for makin' ya sad!"

"That's a perfect idea," Copperhead mused, pulling up a comfortable chair for Jester to sit in while Harley dug her makeup bag out of the little duffel bag she had brought with her.

"Spill your guts," Harley commanded, pulling a few makeup wipes out of her bag. She made quick work of cleaning Jester's face, scrubbing off all her ruined mascara, eyeliner, lipstick and tears. Copperhead was behind Jester, using a damp hand towel to wash the blood out of her hair.

"I guess it all started with a nasty little spat between J and Scarecrow," Jester sighed, clenching her fists to fight the urge to tug at her hair in her frustration. "J's hiding more fucking shit from me."

"That rat bastard! What's he hidin' now?" Harley leaned back and raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at Jester as she dug a tube of matte burgundy liquid lipstick from her bag.

Jester waited patiently as Harley applied her lipstick perfectly, not wanting to ruin it before it was done and had time to dry and set. When it had, she recounted her argument with J in the corridor and the conversation she had with Scarecrow and Jonathan in the empty office. Both women listened intently, grooming and primping her to soothe her as her rage and heartbreak spiked again. They had shut off their radios and phones so Jester would have their full, undivided attention, wanting to support their friend during what seemed like a waking nightmare.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Control Room:**

Joker cackled wickedly as he watched a dejected-looking Scarecrow walk out of the office without Jester. "I told ya, you moron! She's _mine_!"

Riddler rolled his eyes and groaned, busying himself with hacking into the Gotham radio towers and doing his best to ignore the obnoxious Clown next to him.

Joker's laughter died as soon as he watched Jester walk out of the room looking devastated. Her shoulders were slumped, her head drooped, and she seemed to be dragging herself towards the Infirmary. She looked even worse than Scarecrow had. He growled, watching her as she entered the Infirmary and sagged in Harley's embrace.

"I need audio, Riddler," Joker demanded, pointing at the screen he was watching. "Give me audio!"

"Do it yourself," Riddler bit back, glaring at Joker. "I'm not one of your inferior, dimwitted, mindless errand boys."

Joker pulled his gun on Riddler and cocked the hammer back. "I don't like repeating myself," he snapped. "Do it!"

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a serious impulse control problem?" Riddler snapped. "It's a wonder anyone puts up with your lack of manners and deplorable behavior."

Joker dug the muzzle of the gun into Riddler's temple and didn't let up until Riddler turned on the audio for the Infirmary. He slowly pulled the gun away, glowering at Riddler as he holstered it. "That's funny coming from the man with no friends and no woman. I bet you're still a virgin," Joker sneered at Riddler before turning his attention back to the screen, listening closely to the conversation the women were having.

Riddler scoffed, not bothering to entertain the bully with a response. He got back to work hacking into the radio towers, grinning like the madman he was once he was in. "Too easy," he mused, his ego-inflating. "You'd think they'd have better security. Then again, I'm far too brilliant and skilled to be stopped. I'm a genius, after all."

"Shut up!" Joker barked, leering at the screen. Jester had just finished recounting her argument with him and had begun recounting her conversation with the giant demon to Copperhead and Harley.

"_He's right, you know? J just keeps fucking hurting me. There was no reason for him to threaten Scarecrow and Craney – this whole thing was his idea! Scarecrow and Jonathan were protecting me, just like they always have! Scarecrow was right not to tell Joker where I was, he knew I wasn't ready for a confrontation with J." _

Joker watched intently as Jester took a deep, shaky breath and took a moment to calm herself before continuing.

"_The fact that he only mentioned Scarecrow's comment about wanting to have a child with me just proves Scarecrow right – he just wanted to get himself out of the doghouse by turning my anger on Scarecrow. He was manipulating me like always. I guess I shouldn't even be surprised."_

Joker narrowed his eyes at the screen, clutching the desk with a white-knuckled grip. He felt the Madness clawing at him again but he fought it back, not wanting to lose his temper and do anything rash before she was finished. He wanted to hear the rest of her story, even if it drove him insane.

Riddler gave a low whistle, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched the same screen Joker was. "Crane wants to knock your woman up? How bold!"

"I will rip your tongue out," Joker seethed, giving Riddler a warning look. "Shouldn't you be busy rattling off ridiculous riddles for Batsy?"

"You must be quite furious if you're going to pass up the opportunity to antagonize your favorite caped crusader," Riddler chuckled, his eyes twinkling with his amusement. "Leave it to me, Joker. I'll get his attention."

"You do that," Joker growled, turning his attention back to the screen.

"_Why wouldn't ya just let Scarecrow see for himself? I mean, wouldn't it be easier for him to peek around inside that brain of yours instead of making you say it out loud?" _

Harley tilted her head at Jester in curiosity, patiently awaiting her answer and putting her hands down. She wasn't quite finished with Jester's makeup yet, too concerned about her friend to concentrate.

Joker leaned even closer, his nose almost touching the screen as his heart hammered in his chest. He drummed his fingers along the desk and tapped his feet on the floor, antsy and itching to hear Jester's response. He ignored the annoyed look Riddler fixed him with and didn't stop his fidgeting.

"_I didn't want to give him hope. I knew he would see the thoughts I had when I said I had baby fever. I didn't want him to see the sweet blue-eyed, brown-haired little boy I pictured chasing after Ace in the backyard, giggling as he played with his older brother. I didn't want him to know how happy that little image made me, how much love swelled inside of me when I thought of Ace having a little brother to play with and navigate through life with."_

Joker grit his teeth, raking a hand through his hair and glaring at the screen. He focused on Jester as she slumped in her chair and her voice broke.

"_I'd be a monster to have him experience all of it and then crush him by telling him no. Do I want a child with them now that I know they want one too? Absolutely! Will I have one with them? No. I'm terrified of J pushing me down the stairs, kicking me, or throwing me from the balcony to destroy it. I'm terrified of conceiving one just for J to kill it in a jealous rage. I can't trust him anymore."_

Her words hit him like a throat punch. He felt his heart splinter in his chest and he inhaled sharply, his eyes darkening a little as his Madness tried forcing its way to the surface. He was furious, heartbroken, and he felt betrayed – though he wanted to storm into the Infirmary and scream at Jester, he knew he'd only destroy whatever chance he had left at making things right with her. He nearly choked as he reminded himself that she was feeling the same way he was at the moment _because_ of him.

"I would not," he muttered, leaning back in his chair and scrubbing his hands down his face. "I _would NOT_!"

"You would and you know it," Riddler accused, shooting Joker a dirty look. "She's right. You are volatile and cruel. There's no doubt in my mind that you would do something to destroy that child, no matter how bad it would traumatize and harm Jester – physically, mentally, _and_ emotionally."

"Who the fuck asked you?" Joker spat.

He swiftly got to his feet, grabbed the chair he had been sitting on and threw it across the room with a furious roar. He ignored the scathing look Riddler shot him as he stormed out of the Control Room. He pulled his gold butterfly knife from the waistband of his jumpsuit and flipped it open, locking it in place before sticking the blade into the throat of the first inmate that crossed his path. He continued like that, letting his Madness take over as he carved up every inmate he came in contact with on his warpath through the prison.


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

**Author's Note: **_Thank you for the reviews and love! Keep the reviews coming, I love hearing what you guys think! Don't worry – Jester, Joker, Jonathan, and Scarecrow will figure everything out. Everything I do is for a reason, and a good story involves some conflict and drama. Things can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time. ;)_

_**Also, you may recognize some of the Rogues' lines/taunts. I get a lot of inspiration from the Arkham games, the Gotham series, the Telltales games, and the animated series. All credit goes to the respective authors/writers. If you're curious, take a look at my profile page to see which character portrayals I chose for my Rogues. (Suicide Squad movie, Gotham series, Arkhamverse, Animated Series, Telltales, etc.)**_

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Main Corridor:**

"_We got company!" _

Tommy sighed in relief as Deadshot's voice came through the radio. "About god damn time," he muttered, pressing the button on the side as he spoke.

Johnny chuckled, shaking his head at Tommy. "You're relieved? Kid, the Bat's here and we're first in line for an ass-kicking."

"You can't fool me, Johnny boy," Tommy mused. "You're just as excited as I am."

"It's been a few days since we've had some action," Johnny winked at Tommy and slinked off to the right as Tommy moved to the left, both of them aiming for blitz attacks on the Bat – if he could get through the front door, that is. They knew Riddler was locking the joint down and disallowing the Bat and his little cronies access.

"_How many vermin?" _

Tommy smirked at the sound of Bane's booming voice.

"_One big ass rat in spandex."_

Tommy burst out laughing at Deadshot's response, ignoring the scolding look Johnny shot him. "My bad, man. Can't help it."

"We've been locked up too long," Johnny muttered, shaking his head. He motioned for the rest of their guys to spread out behind himself and Tommy in the corridors. They did as he bade, lining up against the walls with their weapons out and ready.

"_That's going to be a problem since Joker is on the warpath."_

"_What the fuck do you mean, Riddler?"_

"_I mean, Your Majesty, that your beau is currently black-eyed and unhinged, slaughtering his way through the prison on a rampage."_

"_May I ask why?" _

Johnny and Tommy exchanged concerned looks as Scarecrow's growl joined the conversation between Riddler and Jester. Both men listened carefully as the three Rogues continued.

"_Interesting that you should ask, Scarecrow. Joker spied on a few conversations that ruffled his feathers."_

"_Shit... my conversation in the fucking Infirmary?!"_

"_Yes, Your Majesty. That's when he threw a chair and went berserk. I'll do what I can to deter him and the Bat, but the rest of you will need to put in an effort as well. As amazing as I am, I can't control that raving lunatic."_

"_Jester..."_

"_Not here, Scarecrow."_

The radio went silent and Tommy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What the fuck are they talking about?"

"Best we stay out of it, kid. Looks like anyone involved is on J's shit list."

Tommy sighed and nodded, giving Johnny an exasperated look. "Not a moment's peace, huh?"

"Nah, not for us. _Never_ for us."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – The Morgue:**

"Talk to me, Jester."

Scarecrow leaned over the medical table, eyeing the new set of filled hypodermic needles as Jester hesitated on the other end of the call.

"_There's nothing to talk about, Scarecrow. You walked out on me." _

"Darling, you know why I walked out of that office. If you recall, I'm not the one that ended the conversation. You didn't give me much choice."

"_I can't do this right now, okay? Batsy is here and I gotta get out there."_

He inhaled sharply as her voice broke and he could tell she was crying.

"Don't you dare push me away again. Tell me what happened – what did you say in the Infirmary that caused Joker to go wild? You told me you trust me, Jester, so _talk to me_."

"_Please, just leave it alone. There is way too much shit going on right now and I need to focus."_

"Fine Jester, but don't tell me there's nothing to talk about, and don't accuse me of walking out. I tried, my love. Just... don't get hurt. Jonathan and I would be devastated if anything happened to you."

"_That's what I'm afraid of."_

He barely heard her before she hung up. Her voice broke and she was so quiet, it was as if she didn't want him to hear the words.

"Unacceptable," he growled, collecting the needles and carefully slipping them into his briefcase. Satisfied with his careful packing, he closed the briefcase, locked it, and walked out of the Morgue, careful to duck so he'd fit through the doorway.

He didn't give a damn anymore about staying in his station. He refused to allow Jester to square off with the Batman when she was this upset and dysregulated. No, he wouldn't allow her to put herself in danger. If she faced the Batman as upset and distracted as she was, she may as well buy herself a one-way ticket back to Arkham. He'd be damned before he sat back and allowed the Bat to beat her senseless, break her bones, and cart her off to the nuthouse. Not on his watch.

He stormed through the corridors, using his free hand to incinerate all inmates that got in his way, not in the mood to hang around and make them suffer. He had no time for torture – he needed to get to the love of his life, and he needed to get to her _fast_.

**\- xxx -**

**Joker's Funhouse – The Haunted Roller-Coaster:**

Commissioner Gordon slowly cracked his eyes open, hissing as the pain from the wound on the back of his head shot through his skull. He cupped the back of his head gingerly, scowling when he pulled it away to see blood coating his fingertips. "Son of a bitch," he rasped.

He blinked repeatedly, trying to rid the dizziness from his vision and adjust to the bright flashing neon lights. He slowly sat up, ignoring the pain in his head and slight nausea he felt as he tried to piece together where he was. His socks and shoes were gone, leaving him barefoot in this cold room. There was a rather large pool of dried up blood on the floor beneath him and he noticed some scrapes and scuffles as if something heavy had been dragged from the area. His wallet, phone, radio, keys, gun, taser, and flashlight were gone. He carefully got to his feet once his vision cleared and looked around at the creepy abandoned indoor roller coaster.

"What the fuck is this?"

He jumped when he heard a scream rip through the air and snapped his eyes up to the source of it. A large TV screen had turned on overhead across from the roller coaster and he was horrified at what he saw. His daughter Barbara was strapped to an oak chair in the same spot he was currently standing in, crying and screaming as she writhed. There were nails embedded in her hands, pinning them to the arms of the chair, and her face was marred with bruises and small lacerations. His horror quickly dissolved into rage when he saw Jester, the very woman he came here to find and arrest, slinking her way towards the camera from behind the large chair. He took a moment to look around him as she stared wickedly into the screen and saw nothing and no one. The chilling realization that the blood under his bare feet belonged to his daughter sent him reeling. He stumbled back, panting and wide-eyed and gasped.

"Good morning, Commissioner Gordon. Welcome to the Funhouse."

Jester's voice snagged his attention and he glared hatefully at the screen, trying to keep his composure long enough to find out what she wanted and where his daughter was.

"I bet you're wondering why you're standing barefoot in a dried-up pool of your daughter's blood." Jester grinned maliciously, a small chuckle escaping her as she cocked her head at the screen. "You see, Jimmy, I snagged a copy of that interrogation tape. You know, the one with you and my cousin?" She wagged a finger in scolding at the screen and shook her head. "I thought you were supposed to be one of the good guys? All that talk about you cleaning up the GCPD and doing away with crooked cops... tsk, tsk. Good cops don't manhandle inmates and try to force confessions from them. They certainly don't douse them in hot coffee, either."

She backed away from the camera slowly, giving him a full view of his sobbing, gagged and bleeding daughter behind her. Commissioner Gordon felt his blood boil as he watched fat tears stream from his daughter's terrified wide eyes.

"You must not know too much about me," Jester continued calmly, making a show of toying with a cigar cutter she picked up from a surgical tray beside the chair. "I don't take kindly to people touching the people I love, let alone threatening them. You brought Mike up in Tommy's interview – think, Commissioner, and think _really hard_. Why do you think Mike was mutilated the way he was? If you recall, he had all five fingers on his right hand severed..."

She winked at the screen and grinned as she brought the cigar cutter to Barbara's right hand, opening it and slipping it up her pinky finger. "Well, now you know who did it!" Jester cackled as she snipped it off in one clean cut, her wicked laughter drowning out Barbara's screams of agony.

"BARBARA!" Commissioner Gordon screamed, crumpling to his knees and weeping. He couldn't force himself to look back up at the screen, not wanting to see the fear in his daughter's eyes. The sounds of her screams were more than enough to break his heart. He shuddered violently as the screams and laughter continued, pounding his fists into the bloody floor and screaming at the top of his lungs as the madwoman on the screen mutilated his baby girl.

"Shut up, Babs!" Jester's voice snapped on the screen above him. "I'm working, here! You'll have your chance to talk later."

Several muffled screams, sobs, and shrieks later the video went eerily quiet. Commissioner Gordon forced himself to look back up and a chill ran down his spine when he was met with Jester's face. Her eyes were nearly black, her mouth stretched in a tight line, and she was sporting a look of controlled rage on her face that rivaled even Joker's.

"No worries, Jimmy. Babs is just taking a little nap. Torture isn't just exhausting for the person inflicting it, ya know. Now, if you turn around you'll see a pretty sketchy looking roller coaster ride behind you. There are several dilapidated looking cars on it. Pick one, any one, and buckle up tight! You're going for a ride. If you want to find your little Babsy, you'll follow my instructions and behave yourself. I'd hate for you to die before you found her."

Her wicked laughter was the last thing he heard as he turned his back on the video and eyed the roller coaster in question. The video behind him turned off and he took a deep, shuddering breath as he inspected the cars. He made sure they were safe, that no one was hiding in them waiting to blitz attack him, and he got in the middle one. He carefully buckled himself in and looked curiously around the room, wondering how the hell the ride would move and who would be controlling it.

His silent questions were answered as the ride violently jerked forward with a harsh, sharp squeal and he saw a glimpse of a tall, muscular, dark man in clown makeup poking his head out of the control room and staring at him. Commissioner Gordon glared at the man and refused to show him any fear, locking eyes with him until the ride rounded the corner into the pitch-black depths of the building it was housed in. He tried his best to keep his wits about him, focusing on finding his daughter and apprehending Jester and whoever else was here. If he lost his temper now, he'd never find his little girl. He hated it, but he knew he had to play by the insane woman's rules if he wanted to see his daughter again. With no way to communicate Officer Santos, Officer Deckard, the rest of the department or the Batman, he was stuck facing these psychos alone.

The thought of Officers Deckard and Santos sparked something in his mind and he growled in frustration. Looking back at it, they had known the way to the Funhouse and were too happy to split up with him in the Midway. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, realizing they had set him up. In his haste and determination to find his daughter, he hadn't been paying attention and didn't notice the many red flags.

"Bastards!" He spat, clutching the rusty bar of his cart in a white-knuckled grip. "I'll get them too. Mark my words, they are all going down!"

The ride continued, lurching along twists and turns and creaking dangerously through several loops, sending Commissioner Gordon's stomach into his throat several times. It took all of his effort not to vomit, already nauseous from the concussion he was quite certain he had. Everything was pitch black, leaving him to wonder where the hell he was and where this ride would end up. He had no idea who or what to be prepared for once it stopped.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Prison – Blackgate Isle – Control Room:**

Riddler's attention was shifted away from Joker as he rampaged through the prison when alarms went off about a security breach in the Maximum Security wing. He giggled gleefully, clapping his hands together excitedly as he spotted the Dark Knight himself.

"_**Well, well, well... if it isn't the King Thug himself!"**_

Riddler smirked as he watched Batman crawl through the vent and knock out the grate covering it. He popped out of the vent into the men's shower block, quickly getting to his feet and brushing off his silly costume. Riddler was thrilled, this was his time to shine and to begin breaking the Bat's mind in his never-ending bid to prove the Batman's intellect was inferior to his own. Tonight, he would break Batman's mind.

"_**Crawling around in vents like a common rat. How expected..."**_

He tutted as Batman stalked out of the shower block and into the corridor, throttling the inmates that charged at him and attempted to subdue him. He locked down that block, cells and all, disallowing anyone to get in or out of Maximum Security and Death Row. His part of the plan was not only hacking the Blackgate security system, the Gotham Radio towers, and drawing Batman to the prison. He was also there to taunt, confuse, distract, and trap the entire Bat-Family, keeping them from reaching certain sections of the prison until the others were ready and to weaken and disorient them before they'd reach the other Rogues. It would be easier for Jester, Copperhead, and Harley to separate them and lure them if their paths were controlled and obstacles were placed properly.

"Riddler here. I have detained the Dark Knight in the Maximum Security wing. He won't be busy for too long."

He released the button on his radio and patiently awaited a reply as he watched Batman attempt to hack into the system to get the door to the stairs open. "Oh no you don't," he snapped. "You don't go anywhere until _I _want you to."

"_**You know, if you had asked nicely, I would have opened it for you."**_

He set to work hacking into Batman's communication system, laughing at how easy it was. He was just about to continue taunting the raging caped crusader when a response finally came over the radio.

"_Send him to us."_

Jester sounded much better than she had mere minutes before. She sounded determined, focused and... was that anger? Riddler furrowed his brows, tapping his finger on the radio as he held it in his hand and tried to piece together a response. He wasn't one for empathy, sympathy, or kindness, but he liked the feisty and clever Clown Queen of Crime. She had kept her word, hadn't she? He looked at his bracelet and chuckled, nodding to himself as he settled on what he thought would be an appropriate response.

"Of course, Your Majesty. Shall I wear him down for you first?"

"_Make him work for it, Riddler."_

He grinned, nodding to himself and set to work.

"_**Can you hear me, Dork Knight? I know you can. Yes, it is I, The Riddler – your intellectual superior."**_

His ego swelled as he watched Batman scowl down at his forearm, clearly irritated that Riddler had hacked into his little system.

"_**My genius has allowed me to easily hack into your primitive communications. Now, time for a riddle – after all, it would be rude of me not to give you a proper challenge."**_

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Library:**

Copperhead caught Harley's and Jester's eyes from her hiding spot behind a few bookcases away just before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.

Harley and Jester gave each other a nod, slowly lifting themselves off of their bellies on the two ledges they had climbed up on in their haste to escape the raging Dark Knight and perching carefully on the edges.

He had smashed his way into the main corridor through a grate down the hall from the Infirmary, catching the girls off-guard and forcing them to take off running as he hunted them down like animals. He was on a mission tonight, more serious and determined than usual, and Jester couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with Gordon's disappearance. They had led him into the library, knowing it was the best place to hide out and get the jump on him. Harley and Jester had immediately gone for higher ground while Copperhead slipped through the room in wisps of black smoke, keeping to the shadows so her movements wouldn't be seen.

"_Copperhead._"

Batman's gruff voice drew their attention and they looked towards the far corner of the library where Copperhead was currently squaring off with the caped crusader. She was crouched on the floor, coiled like a snake waiting to strike. In a flash of movement, she was sliding between his legs and slithering up his spine, wrapping her thighs tight around his neck as he tried to throw her off and choking him. She released his throat and kicked him hard in the face, dazing him for a moment, and quickly moved away.

Jester and Harley were shocked – she was _good. _She moved so quickly it was hard to even see her, she was like lightning.

She struck again, using Batman's surprise to her advantage. She coiled around him quickly, slithering up his back in one quick move just before biting him harshly in the face.

"What did you do to me?" Batman demanded, swiping at his face and examining the blood on his gloves.

"I killed you. Your body just hasn't realized it yet. The more strength you use, Batman, the faster you will die."

She chuckled wickedly, slithering up a bookshelf until she was perched on the top of it. She shot Jester and Harley a wink and grinned down at Batman as he stumbled a little, the venom already taking effect on his body.

"You don't look so good, B-Man," Harley jeered, crouched on the edge of her ledge. "What's the matter? You got the flu or somethin'?"

"Quinn!" He growled and made to lunge for her but he stumbled again, dizzying himself and crumbling to his knees.

"Yikes," Jester quipped, giggling with Harley. "I don't know, Harls. He looks like he's dying."

"Are you feelin' it now, Mr. Krabs?" Harley imitated Spongebob's voice perfectly and Jester burst out in such delirious laughter she nearly fell off her perch.

"Oh, fuck me. I wish I recorded that!"

"Let's go," Copperhead cut in, stifling her laughter. "He'll be calling his boy toys."

"Tell 'em we said hi!" Harley shouted, waving at Batman just before launching herself off of her ledge.

"You won't get away!" Batman snarled, glaring up at Jester as she teetered on the edge of her own.

"Oh I will, Batsy – but _you_ won't." Jester laughed, following Harley and Copperhead as they raced out of the library and towards the main corridor, leaving the struggling, delusional Bat to suffer.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Main Corridor:**

"_You._"

Joker's snarl caught Scarecrow's attention as he reached the Main Corridor. He tilted his head and raked his glowing eyes over the blood-soaked, black-eyed, unhinged Clown. He was crouched over a bloodied, mangled corpse with his gold butterfly knife clutched in his right hand. Scarecrow noticed the blade was dripping with fresh blood from the corpse beneath him.

Scarecrow said nothing, simply grinning at Joker as he rose to his full height and glowered up at him.

"You're trying to take her away from me!" Joker lunged at Scarecrow, jamming his blade into Scarecrow's chest an inch away from his heart. The blade barely did any damage but it did cause him a little bit of pain.

Scarecrow chuckled, prying the furious man off of him with one hand wrapped around his throat and holding him just a few inches away so they were face-to-face. "I've done nothing of the sort," Scarecrow countered. "It isn't my fault you continue to destroy your relationship with her."

"It _is_ your fault! This is all _your_ fault! She wants to have a child with you, you demon bastard!" Joker flailed violently in Scarecrow's grip, slamming his blade into the demon's arm when he refused to release him. "You wanna know why she won't?" He narrowed his black eyes at Scarecrow and his tone was deceptively calm. "She's scared that I'll hurt her to try and _kill_ it."

"I wouldn't let you," Scarecrow snapped. "I would destroy you."

"Oh, is that so? Make my day, you ugly mutant!" Joker grinned at him and laughed, relaxing in Scarecrows' grip. "I dare ya!"

Harley's voice came in loud and clear over both of their radios and caught their attention.

_"Harley Quinn here, lettin' all of ya know that B-Man is stumblin' around like a punch-drunk bum in spandex. Looks like he ain't so tough when he's pumped full of venom. Anyway, we left him draggin' his ass in the Library." _

"I do not have time for this," Scarecrow hissed, releasing Joker and ignoring the man's cackling as he crashed to the floor. "I need to find her before Batman calls his brood here."

"Not if I find her first," Joker singsonged, grinning up at Scarecrow. "Why don't you go back to your creepy little Morgue and play with your chemistry set?"

"Must everything be a competition with you, Clown?" Scarecrow groaned, moving to walk away and snarling in annoyance when Joker grabbed his leg to stop him.

"She is _mine!"_

"She is _ours_, Joker. Yours, mine, and Jonathan's. She is upset and angry right now, and the last thing she needs is either of us causing her more stress while she's running around with a target on her back. You can either help me find her or stay out of my way. I refuse to let any harm come to her at the hands of the Bat Brats."

Joker sprang up from the floor and dusted himself off, glaring at Scarecrow as he closed his knife and slipped it into the strap of his shoulder holster. He lit himself a smoke, offered Scarecrow one – which he gladly took – and nodded. "You've got a point. Fine demon, we'll uh... _work together_; but the birdbrain is mine. You got that?"

"Fine by me, Clown," Scarecrow drawled. "I'd prefer to mangle the mind of the Batman anyway."

"Finally, somethin' we can agree on. Let's roll," Joker quickly made his way through the corridor, most of the inmates knowing better than to get in his way as he walked and making it easier for the two Rogues to get through.

**\- xxx -**

**The Mansion Safe House – The Kitchen:**

"Alright, Doc. You ready for your first lesson?" Catwoman smirked at Doctor Mills as she leaned across the kitchen island and drummed her claws along the surface.

Doctor Mills looked up from his healthy turkey sandwich, salad, and fruit smoothie and sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be," he muttered.

"You'll be fine!" Doctor Davis pat him on the back to show her support. "Trust me, I've been living with these guys for a long, long time. They know what they're doing, and Jester wouldn't allow anyone to hurt you too badly."

"I'll remind you that I'm not laying a single claw on you today. Crawl before you walk, remember?" Catwoman grinned at him and held her hand out, beckoning for him to follow her.

Doctor Mills wiped his mouth with his napkin and carefully set it down, giving Catwoman an apologetic look as he stood up. "I'd like to clean up first if you don't mind Selina."

Catwoman chuckled. "Have Officer Dickard over there handle it since he didn't bother to ask before ransacking our cabinets." She shot a glare over at Officer Deckard where he sat at the kitchen table.

Officer Deckard rolled his eyes but bit his tongue, knowing better than to talk back to Catwoman. The last thing he needed was to end up on the wrong side of those razor-sharp claws of hers. "Yeah, I got it," he bit out, glowering at Doctor Mills.

"What's up, guys?"

Victor Zsasz's unmistakable voice caused Doctor Mills, Doctor Davis and Detective Deckard all to jump.

"Who the hell let you out?" Doctor Mills stepped protectively in front of Doctor Davis, trying to put some of his Arkham training to use. "You're supposed to be locked up downstairs!"

Zsasz saw right through the man's false bravado and chuckled, gripping Doctor Mills gently by his upper arms and patting them reassuringly. "I assume you're the famous Doctor Mills. Nice to meet you! Victor Zsasz, though I'm sure you already knew that." Zsasz held out his hand for Doctor Mills to shake and chuckled again when the man refused to take it, opting to give him a skeptical look instead.

"Anyway, if you must know, the Queen Bee agreed to me coming in on the Blackgate plan to serve as a distraction and collateral." He clapped gleefully. "So I get to go play with the big kids!"

"It's true," Officer Santos appeared behind Zsasz and gave Catwoman an exasperated look. "Apparently things are a little rough over there."

"What happened?" Catwoman's amused expression faded into a serious one. "Is she alright?"

"The Bat showed up. Copperhead took him down for now but they know the rest of the Bat-Family will be coming soon. Joker is out of control, Jester is having issues with both him and Scarecrow, and she prefers vato loco here to be away from the children." Officer Santos looked conflicted as he spoke, which Catwoman didn't miss.

"Should I suit up and go? I don't feel right staying here while they're all stuck there. Besides, I can serve as a better distraction and deterrent for Batman than the others. We have... history."

Zsasz snorted a laugh at that and covered his mouth with a gloved hand. "Sorry, couldn't help it. I forgot you used to date the Dark Knight."

Catwoman gave him a scathing look and he simply shrugged at her, a smirk playing on his lips.

"She wants us here," Officer Santos answered. "I want to go, but she wants us here to protect the children."

"No one is going to find this house," Doctor Davis countered, raising an eyebrow at Officer Santos. "It sounds like you'd all be better off going over there and helping. Doctor Mills and I are more than capable of handling the children – besides, we have the beasts here!" She motioned to the ceiling, indicating the dogs that were currently in the nursery guarding the napping babies.

"If I know anything about Jester, she doesn't like to be disobeyed," Officer Santos sighed and plopped down into a chair at the kitchen table.

"I'm going," Catwoman insisted, waving her hand in dismissal when Officer Santos made to stop her. "I need to be there. I can do much more there than I can here."

"You are pregnant, Selina," Doctor Davis reminded her. "You need to be safe. You're in a very, very fragile stage of your pregnancy. One fall, one kick to the stomach, one wrong move and you can lose the baby."

"Dammit!" Catwoman hissed, slamming her hands down on the kitchen island.

"She won't need you," Zsasz said confidently. "I'll have my capable ladies with me and one hell of an arsenal. Joker isn't the only one with an impressive toy collection, you know." With that, he winked at everyone and made his way to the garage. "Toodles!" He waved over his shoulder just before the door closed behind him, intent on getting to Blackgate as soon as possible. He had some errands to run before he could go to the prison and wanted to get on the road.

"What a fucking nut," Officer Deckard chimed in, shaking his head in the direction of the door to the garage.

"I'll be back," Officer Santos groaned. "I've gotta play chauffeur for this guy. Daryl, stay here and watch the house."

Officer Deckard nodded and got up, setting to work cleaning up the kitchen and the dishes.

"Be safe," Catwoman said seriously, eyeing the door to the garage. "I don't trust him."

"None of us do," Doctor Mills said vehemently, settling back down into his seat at the kitchen island. "He's a monster."

"That's what this is for," Officer Santos pulled his gun from its holster and waved it at them. "I have no problem putting him down if he steps out of pocket."

"I can hear you, you know," Zsasz popped his head inside the kitchen and whistled, beckoning Officer Santos to him with a crook of his finger. "Lots to do and very little time to do it, Officer. Tick, tock!"

Doctor Mills shuddered at the bright grin and wink Zsasz shot him as Officer Santos made his way over to the lunatic.

They heard the sound of car doors slamming, an engine revving, and once they knew both men were gone they all let out a collective sigh.

"Well I, for one, am glad he's gone," Doctor Mills announced, rubbing his arms where Zsasz had touched him. "That man gives me the heebie-jeebies."

Catwoman chuckled and shook her head. "Coming from the guy who so boldly challenged the Joker."

"Are you sure you don't want to hear the heartbeat yet, Selina?" Doctor Davis placed her hand lightly on top of Catwoman's and gave her an earnest look. "I don't mind."

"Thanks, Doc, but I'd rather wait until Tommy's home to do that. It wouldn't be right to have my first exam done and to hear the heartbeat without him."

"You better hope he survives the breakout, then," Officer Deckard muttered from the sink. His back was to the rest of them so he didn't expect nor prepare for the harsh slap to the back of his head that Catwoman gave him.

"Don't ever say anything like that again," she growled, piercing his skull with the tips of her claws threateningly.

"Shit!" He hissed, gritting his teeth and clutching at the edge of the counter. "Yeah, yeah, you got it. Won't say it again."

"Good boy," she purred, releasing him. "Come on, Doc. I'm taking you to the weight room to get your training started."

"Weight room? Do you think I need it?" Doctor Mills motioned to his arms and flexed his muscles for emphasis.

"When's the last time you worked out, Doc? I can't imagine you did much of it living like a recluse in the Funhouse."

"Fair point," Doctor Mills conceded, motioning with his arm for Catwoman to precede him into the hall. "After you, sensei."

Catwoman laughed airily and the pair of them made their way out of the kitchen as Officer Deckard continued to wash the dishes and Doctor Davis prepared two bottles for the babies once they woke up from their nap. Neither of them spoke, both well aware of the fact that they had nothing in common and Officer Deckard painfully aware that Doctor Davis didn't like him.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Rooftop:**

"_Heads up, y'all. Victor Zsasz – yes, you heard me correctly – is coming to join the fray. Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – shoot him on sight! He is to be considered and treated as an ally. Send him to me if you see him." _

"I must be trippin'," Deadshot raised his eyebrows as he stared at his radio. "I thought I heard Jester say Victor god damn Zsasz is on his way here. That fool is dead. I was there – I watched her put his ass down."

"You heard correctly," Double-Tap called from across the rooftop. "He's back from the dead. Hugo Strange is still on his bullshit."

Deadshot turned to look at Double-Tap and gave him an incredulous look. "You're tellin' me that Hugo Strange brought that wingnut back to life, like on some Frankenstein shit?"

"Something like that, I guess. I don't know the specifics." Double-Tap shrugged.

Deadshot shook his head and pressed the button on his radio. "Yo Jester, you think that's a good idea? How do we know this dude ain't gonna light you up like a Christmas tree as soon as he sees you?"

"_I don't recall asking for your opinion, Floyd." _

Deadshot recoiled at her sharp, cold tone and set his radio back down next to his gun. "Aight then," he muttered, feeling a little bit like a kicked puppy. "Guess she's still pissed at me."

"Oh yeah," Double-Tap confirmed. "Woman sure knows how to hold a grudge."

"No shit," Deadshot agreed, giving a low whistle. "Gonna be a rough homecoming."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – The Jungle:**

"Zsasz? Has she lost her mind?"

Hammer turned around and looked up at Poison Ivy through the forest of massive venus fly traps. He gave a slight shrug when her gorgeous green eyes fell on him. "Dunno."

"Oh, that's right," Poison Ivy sighed and leaned back in her makeshift throne. "You don't know. Jester murdered Victor Zsasz in cold blood when she revealed her true identity to the Rogues. The same night Joker killed Black Mask."

Hammer's eyebrows knit together in his confusion. "With all due respect, Ivy... if the Queen killed the guy, then how's he gonna come here?"

"Tell me, Mister Hammer, have you ever heard of Doctor Hugo Strange?" Poison Ivy smirked down at him and slowly began descending from her tower. Her vines carried her down, supporting and suspending her mere inches away from the beastly man.

"Don't sound familiar," Hammer admitted, giving Poison Ivy his full attention.

"Take a seat, my dear," she motioned towards a closed Venus flytrap behind him. "No worries, they will only harm those I command them to."

Hammer carefully sat down, slightly nervous about perching himself on a living, breathing, carnivorous plant.

"Now, how about I tell you a story while we wait?"

Hammer grinned at the beautiful woman and nodded. "Of course, Ivy," he chirped.

Poison Ivy had been kind enough not to use her pheromones or her other tricks on Hammer, reining herself in so he could think clearly and not fall victim to her charms. She had considered filling him with spores, kissing him or even touching him to zombify him but she knew Jester was fond of the henchman and decided against it out of respect for her friend. She had to admit she liked the man. Despite his earlier insult, he was very kind and funny and wasn't a bad conversationalist. He even took several hard lashings from her vines with dignity, waiting until she was done punishing him to explain that his 'crazy plant lady' comment was meant as a joke and not an insult. After that, he had been very careful and selective with his words and she greatly appreciated it.

Ivy told him as much as she could about Doctor Hugo Strange, including his time at Arkham as a Doctor and the abuse he inflicted upon many, many patients. Hammer listened intently the entire time, keeping his eyes locked on hers out of respect and politely excusing himself to check the entrance and perimeter now and then to make sure they were still alone.

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Maximum Security:**

Two-Face was playing cards with his men in the guard post at the beginning of the Maximum Security corridor, a cigarette in one side of his mouth and a Havana honey in the other. He was losing his patience waiting for the Batman to be delivered to them and one of his men suggested a card game to pass the time. He indulged them, never one to turn down an opportunity to make some extra money, no matter how little or how much. They had invited Bane to join but the giant Luchador declined, opting instead to pace the Solitary room like a wild animal.

Two-Face certainly didn't understand it, but he didn't argue the point. Besides, the giant man wouldn't fit inside the guard post anyway. He barely fit down the corridor as it was. The entrance to Solitary would forever be destroyed – it was now a Bane-shaped hole in the wall with no door.

"Zsasz?" Two-Face looked up as Jester's message came through the radio and both his expressions were surprised. "Victor Zsasz? She killed the fuckin' guy the night the Clown killed that jagoff Black Mask. What a nutty broad."

"He's alive," one of his henchmen said, looking up from his hand.

"What?"

"He's alive, boss," the man repeated seriously. "I heard it from my pals on the outside. They saw him rollin' around with Don Maroni."

"Don Maroni?" Two-Face scoffed, setting his cards on the table face-down. "You're tellin' me that Victor Zsasz was seen with Don Maroni – _recently_?"

"Yeah," the henchman confirmed. "Saw 'em at Giggles, too."

"Giggles? Joker's joint? How interesting..." Two-Face scratched his chin and puffed on his smokes, blowing a huge cloud of smoke into the air and creating an even thicker haze in the guard post. "Wonder what that was about."

"Rumor has it Joker had rights to the Iceberg Lounge. Rumor also has it that the broad – you know, the one with the purple hair – is taking it over from him." The henchman shrugged, also setting his hand face-down on the table. "Streets are sayin' Maroni wanted to swindle it from her. He also ain't been seen since that night."

"So she killed Maroni?" Two-Face threw his head back and laughed wickedly. "That broad don't follow the laws! She just kills and kills!"

"Well, street law says that a guy like Maroni ain't supposed to be showin' up in another man's territory like that without invitation – especially to harass his missus while he's incarcerated." Another henchman shrugged slightly at Two-Face and pursed his lips. "Ain't right, ya know?"

Two-Face nodded, mulling it over. "So this happened while the Clown was in here?"

"Yeah, boss," the first henchman answered. "So, street law says she had the right."

"Not guilty," Two-Face chuckled, picking his hand back up. "Case dismissed."

**\- xxx -**

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Prison – Main Corridor:**

"Hello, everyone!" Victor Zsasz grinned like the Cheshire Cat as he burst through the main doors of the prison with his 'Zsaszettes' in tow. They were all heavily armed with semi-automatic weapons, grenades, blades of all shapes and sizes, and some of them even sported RPG's strapped to their backs.

He ignored the many, many guns aimed at him and continued, stretching his arms out wide to show he meant no harm. "Now, some of you may know me, and some of you may not. I'm Victor Zsasz. I'm here at the behest of the Queen Bee, so if you know where she is I'd appreciate it if you'd point my friends and me in the right direction."

"... Zsasz?" Johnny kept his gun aimed at the madman and inched closer, giving the bald, well-dressed and jovial man a skeptical once-over. "There's no way, man. We threw your body in the river."

"Yes, yes, I know. Jester shot me, spit on me, and had you goons throw me in the river. It's really me, Johnny boy. You can thank Doctor Strange for my rebirth." He rolled his eyes and tapped his foot impatiently. "You _really_ know how to ruin a dramatic entrance, Frost! Now, where's the Queen?"

"Wait a minute," Tommy was flabbergasted, lowering his gun and approaching Victor Zsasz. He looked the guy over, taking in his bald head, lack of eyebrows, pale skin, tailored Armani suit, leather gloves, and black snakeskin boots. "My cousin killed you?"

"Ah, you must be Tommy!" Zsasz clapped Tommy on the shoulder and smiled brightly at him. "You're going home, kiddo! Queen's orders."

"What the fuck?" Tommy looked over at Johnny and Johnny shrugged.

"I've been with you the whole time, I don't know shit."

Zsasz huffed and crossed his arms in annoyance. "Well if you don't believe me, ask her yourself! You'll get your confirmation and you can skedaddle, and I can find out where she is."

"I don't believe this... any of it." Tommy narrowed his eyes at Zsasz and aimed his gun right at his heart as he picked up his cell phone. He quickly scrolled through his recent calls and selected Jester's name, calling her and putting it on speakerphone.

"_What?" _She sounded incredibly irritated and Tommy flinched.

"Yeah, uh, this dude Zsasz is here telling me to go home and asking us where you are." Tommy kept his eyes on Zsasz as Jester groaned on the other end of the call.

"_Yeah, go home Razor. Give him your radio and send him to me. I'm back in the Infirmary with Copperhead and Harley." _

"Go home? What the fuck are you talking about, Jester? Why would I go home?" Tommy furrowed his eyebrows and glared down at his phone, ignoring the amused look on Zsasz's face.

"_Just do as I say. Give Zsasz your radio and go home. Zsasz should've cleared the way for you. He came in through the main doors, right?" _

"Sure did," Zsasz chirped. "Hello, Your Highness. The front yard, bridge, and guard posts are clear. Tommy's good to go. Luis is waiting for him on the other end of the bridge."

"_Get moving, Tommy. Luis is a sitting duck out there." _

"I'm not going anywhere! I'm as much a part of this as the rest of you! Why the fuck are you sending me home?" Tommy was livid, feeling emasculated and embarrassed by his cousin replacing him and demanding that he go home.

"_Tommy, I'm doing all of this for **you**. When you get home, you'll understand why. Listen to me and GO HOME. It's more important for you to be at home than to be here."_

Tommy flinched at her icy tone and sighed. "Fine, cuz, but I better find out what's going on as soon as I get home."

"_You will," _her tone softened only slightly. _"Give Zsasz your radio and send him to me, please."_

Tommy ended the call without another word and glared at Zsasz as he handed over his radio. "I don't know what you and my cousin are up to, but I don't like it."

Johnny cleared his throat to get Tommy's attention and gave him a small but reassuring smile. "You know your cousin, Razor. If she's sending you home, it's for a reason. Just do what she wants – besides, be thankful you don't have to risk an ass whooping from the Bat. I'm telling you, kid, they ain't a walk in the park."

Tommy nodded, shaking Johnny's hand and tucking his gun back into his pocket. "Good luck, man. Keep in contact, alright? I wanna know what's goin' on."

Johnny chuckled and pushed him towards the door. "Go on home, kid. Don't worry about us. We got this."

"Let's skedaddle, Razor," Zsasz made a shooing motion with his hands. "I can't go anywhere until I've escorted you to the bridge."

"I do not need your help," Tommy spat cruelly, glaring at Zsasz.

"Oh, but you do," Zsasz insisted, opening one of the main doors and raising an absent eyebrow at Tommy as he motioned at the mutilated corpses littering the grass. "Unless you _want_ to be jumped by drooling, zombified prison guards."

"Jesus Christ," Tommy muttered, raking a hand through his messy brown hair. "Fine, man. Let's go."

Zsasz clapped excitedly and practically pranced out the door, gleefully gunning down every single guard that came their way. After watching Tommy cross the bridge and get into Luis' car, he turned around to regard his henchwomen. "You kept count, didn't you?"

"Seven," one of the women drawled, waiting patiently as Zsasz rolled up his sleeve and carved 7 tallies into his arm with a boxcutter he always kept handy.

"And that makes 32," he chirped, rolling his sleeve back down and hurrying back inside the prison. "Hurry, hurry! We're burning daylight, ladies!"


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I do not own or take credit for anything other than my OC's.**

_**Author's Note: **So, so, so sorry for the delay! THIS FIC IS **NOT** ABANDONED!_

_Long story (kinda) short, I became homeless at the end of January. I had lost my job months prior, and between my mother stealing my identity and putting me $30k in debt – thus also destroying my credit – and unemployment not coming through soon enough and having no other source of income, I could no longer pay my rent and had to move out of my apartment. My only choice at that point was to live out of my car with my 120 pound Cane Corso, Karma, and I was fully prepared to do so. _

_Fortunately, but also unfortunately, an old acquaintance from high school reached out to me the week before I was due to move out telling me he had lived in his car for over a year and did not want to see me do the same, so he offered to take me, Karma, and my Savannah Monitor, Drama, in. Things were good for the first two weeks. He was nice, a perfect gentleman, and we began a relationship. Moving day came and went and he pulled such a quick 180 on me that it gave me whiplash and made my head spin. As it turns out, he is a highly toxic, misogynistic, self-centered, narcissistic, short-tempered, entitled, rude and disrespectful piece of subhuman trash. We began fighting almost every day, and because he was a "nice guy" and refused to let me help with rent and utilities, anytime I stood up for myself when he'd scream at me and verbally assault me, he'd tell me to "watch how I fucking talk to him in HIS house" and remind me that I would be fucked without him and to mind my P's and Q's lest he kicks me out. Things got worse and worse – I couldn't even shower without him barging in on me. I had no privacy, my boundaries were constantly crossed and disrespected by him and his 4-year-old daughter, and he treated me like a disobedient dog and a house wench. He'd start fights with me over nothing, gaslight me, verbally and emotionally abuse me, then turn everything around on me and blame me and threaten to kick me out. Apparently, I was obligated to let him see me naked whenever he wanted, I was obligated to do whatever he said, and if I was uncomfortable with anything or got upset about anything, especially when he'd trigger my PTSD, he would laugh at me and tell me I was stupid and berate and chastise me. So, that wasn't going to work for me anymore. _

_The straw that broke the camel's back was when his daughter was exposed to the Corona Virus and came home sick with a fever, sore throat, earache, etc and I got upset because I am immunocompromised which he is well aware of. I was crying and terrified because he refused, despite her doctor's orders, to get her tested and take her to the hospital, and he laughed at me and told me "that sounds like a YOU problem" when I calmly explained I was terrified of being exposed to the Virus because I could die. Well, I went into the shower after that and while I was in there, he began packing all my belongings and took my key to the apartment building away. He kicked me out. _

_So, with that said, this is my 11th day and 12th night living in my car with my dog and honestly, we're fine. We're doing just fine and I'm happy as hell to be away from that psychopath. My cousin lets me sleep in my car in his driveway so I am safe at night (I cannot go in the house or have any contact with him, his fiancee, or their four children because one is a 5-month-old baby, one is 3, and the others are teenagers and I was exposed to a child who was exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus), I have friends that let me shower at their houses, laundromats are still open so I can wash my clothes and bedding, and I have settled into a routine of waking up, getting dressed, and going to a very clean rest stop nearby to brush my teeth, wash my face, etc. Sure, it isn't easy living in a car especially while the nights are still cold and my 120-pound dog steals my bedding and crushes me while we sleep, but I am free. I have no $1600 overhead of rent, utilities, and grocery costs stressing me out anymore and I am not stuck living with anyone that abuses me, and honestly, it's nice to have my personal space back and some peace and quiet._

_**In conclusion, the whole reason for this explanation is** that all of this was the cause of me not being able to write, let alone upload another chapter. However, I am working diligently today to try and finish this chapter. It has been haunting me for months – with all the stress I was enduring and how badly my mental health suffered, I have had a nasty case of writer's block and my inspiration was dead in the water. Now that I am doing alright and I'm away from that asshole, I am feeling inspired and ready to write again. Oh, and as far as my exposure to the virus goes, I was technically exposed about a week ago and I am not showing or experiencing any symptoms – just my usual coughing and hacking due to being a smoker and suffering a stuffy, runny nose and sneezing due to my seasonal allergies _

_So here we go! Chapter 39 coming to you straight from the driver's seat of my car while I enjoy a beer and some vending machine snacks. Thank you all for your patience and understanding! I love and appreciate you all and hope that all of you are staying safe and healthy. xoxo_

* * *

**Gotham City – Barbara Gordon's Apartment Building:**

Dick Grayson was worried.

_Really_ worried.

He had tried repeatedly to call Barbara with no answer. Something in his gut was screaming at him that something was wrong. After suiting up and racing from Blüdhaven to Gotham, he stood inside of her ransacked apartment with her discarded phone in hand, seething with rage at the scene before him. Her entire computer system was gone along with all of her other belongings and there were clear signs of a struggle in her bedroom. He had looked inside of her closet, pulling the false backing away to reveal her suit and arsenal intact and left behind.

Something was _very_ wrong.

He knew Joker, Johnny Frost, Floyd Lawton, and Tommy Soldati were locked up in Blackgate which left only one person he could think of that would do something as bold as kidnapping Barbara Gordon.

Raven Ali, better known as Jester and the Clown Prince of Crime's other half.

But why take Barbara?

Dick called Tim Drake, hoping the new Robin may have some answers or insight for him.

"_Dick, I'm glad you called. Something's wrong. I can't get a hold of Bruce and Barbara hasn't been answering me either." _

"If that's true, things are way worse than I imagined. I'm at Barbara's apartment and it's completely ransacked. She's missing, so is her computer and a majority of her belongings, and her suit and weapons were left behind. Someone has taken her – if Bruce isn't answering, this doesn't bode well for any of us."

Dick inhaled sharply and ran his free hand through his hair, a chill running down his spine at the thought of what the crazed female clown might be up to and the torture he was sure she was inflicting upon Barbara.

"_I'm suiting up now. I'll fill Alfred in. Meet me in the Batcave." _

"I'll be there in 20," Dick ended the call and took one last glance around Barbara's disheveled apartment, trying to keep his rage in check as he stormed out of the building and got on his motorcycle.

* * *

**Joker's Funhouse:**

Commissioner Gordon carefully stepped off of the rickety, decrepit roller-coaster ride and blinked as his eyes tried to adjust to the sudden brightness of the early morning sky outside. He shook his head, trying to get his wits about him and ignoring the dull, painful ache in the back of his skull before taking in his surroundings. He realized he must be on the other side of the park – a dilapidated looking haunted house with a large, blinking sign reading "HA-HA-HACIENDA" stood menacingly before him flanked by several abandoned Halloween and circus-themed game booths and other similarly themed rides. The Commissioner noticed a set of neon green spray-painted arrows lining the street he stood on that all led directly to the front door of the Ha-Ha-Hacienda that gave off almost as creepy a vibe as Arkham Asylum.

The grounds were empty and as silent as the grave, adding to the already eerie and demonic atmosphere. Commissioner Gordon felt a chill run down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he slowly turned and examined his surroundings, listening and watching for any signs of his daughter, Jester, or any of the goons he knew were sure to be lurking nearby. Hearing and seeing nothing, he set his jaw and straightened his spine as he walked along the path the arrows set for him towards the foreboding house. He stood in front of the door to the house and wished, for a moment, that he still had his gun on him. The moment he grabbed the door handle he felt a wave of anxiety, fear, and dread wash over him and it took him a second to get his bearings before slowly pulling on it and entering the pitch-black darkness of the house.

Once again he had to wait for his eyes to adjust and stood with his back to the wall, bracing himself for any blitz attacks or nasty surprises that may be awaiting him in the quiet house.

None came. There wasn't a single soul in the dilapidated, dark house.

Commissioner Gordon slowly made his way through the first floor of the house, taking in the old furniture and lack of dust and grime despite the decayed state of the house. It was clear that someone, or something, had been living here. He was sure this must be another one of Joker's many hideouts, either used solely by him or his more loyal henchmen. There were empty coffee mugs, used ashtrays, blankets, pillows, half-empty liquor bottles and empty to-go food containers littered about the living room and a small TV set up on the floor in a dark corner. As he made his way around the room, examining the contents of it and the graffiti all over the walls and floor, the screen on the small TV in the corner flickered to life.

At first, the screen was snowy, flickering on and off until an image slowly began to bleed onto it. He slowly and carefully made his way over, making sure to step lightly on the old floorboards so they wouldn't creak under his weight. As he got closer and crouched down to better see the small screen, his blood ran cold at the image before him. It was Barbara, battered and bloody and curled up in a ball in a dark, dank room in a puddle of her own blood. She was trembling and weeping, cowering from whoever was in the room with her. He was blinded by his rage for a moment as he realized both her legs had been broken and she was bleeding from lacerations all over her face and body. She was almost unrecognizable through the blood, bruises, welts, and cuts marring her face and he grit his teeth as Jester's smooth voice rang out over the sounds of his daughter's anguish.

"Looks like you made it to the Ha-Ha-Hacienda," Jester crooned, grabbing the camera and giggling madly as she brought it closer to her face.

Commissioner Gordon watched with narrowed eyes as Jester grinned like the madwoman she truly was at the lens. She shifted the camera once more, zooming the lens in on Barbara's broken form in the corner and he growled as he watched her kick Barbara so hard in the ribs that he heard the sounds of the bones snapping over Barbara's pained screams.

"I gotta give it to ya, Jimmy boy," Jester chuckled, nudging Barbara with her foot to cause her more pain. "It took a lot to break your precious little angel. She's got quite a mouth on her, you know. Called me every name under the sun and hurled insults and threats at me that would make even Mister J blush!"

Commissioner Gordon grabbed the small TV in his rage, ready to smash it to the ground. He grit his teeth and inhaled sharply, reining in his temper and setting the TV back down to see what would become of his daughter. He examined the room Barbara was in, hoping he could pick up any clues as to where she may be, but found nothing useful. He tried to ignore Jester's voice as she laughed and taunted Barbara, cackling deliriously as Barbara threatened her with the wrath of the GCPD and the Bat-Family.

The video went quiet for a moment and he focused his attention back on his daughter, hoping that Jester was done torturing her and finally ready to tell him whatever he had to do or wherever he had to go to get her.

Jester focused the camera back on herself and the look on her face made him shiver. Her eyes were dark, almost black, and her burgundy lips were stretched in a thin line. She had a cold, murderous look on her face with only the smallest glint of amusement in her dark eyes and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that things would only get worse from here.

"I'm feeling generous tonight, so I decided to let you see your precious little girl. If you can make it from the Ha-Ha-Hacienda to the Hall of Mirrors, you'll find a set of clues to lead you right here. Isn't that right, Babs?"

Commissioner Gordon roared with rage as he watched Jester stomp on Barbara's broken ribs, forcing a scream from his daughter that sounded like something a wounded wild animal might make.

"Dad, don't! It's a trap! Find a way out and find Batman! Don't come here alone!"

"SHUT UP!" Jester hissed the words at Barbara and kicked her once more in punishment for her outburst, ripping another blood-curdling scream from his daughter. Jester looked back at the camera and smiled eerily at him, cocking her he*ad to the side as she examined the lens. "You're running out of time, Jimbo. I suggest you hurry up if you want to see Babs over here alive before noon."

The TV shut off, leaving the Commissioner alone in the eerie, silent room. He took a moment to calm himself down and get his thoughts together, his main focus finding his daughter no matter what it took and who he may have to face to get to her. He steeled himself as he pulled the door open and stepped out of the dilapidated house, looking for any clues that would lead him to the House of Mirrors and keeping himself alert and aware of his surroundings in case of another surprise attack or ambush. He moved along the empty grounds swiftly and quietly, well aware of his lack of weapons and the fact that he was grievously outnumbered here.

"I'm coming," he muttered, making another random turn that he hoped would lead him to the House of Mirrors. "I'll find you, Barbara, and I'll make them pay. I'll make them _all_ pay."

* * *

**The Mansion Safehouse:**

"Selina!"

Karma and Hades perked up at the sound of Tommy's voice booming throughout the house and they ran out of the nursery, thundering down the grand staircase towards him and circling him, sniffing him and wagging their docked tails excitedly.

"SELINA!"

Tommy absentmindedly pat both dogs on the head, moving around them and ignoring them as they followed him through the house. He was beginning to worry, still not knowing why Jester sent him home and not hearing any kind of response from Selina.

"Tommy, glad to see you back and in one piece," Doctor Davis smiled politely at him as she turned in her seat at the kitchen table to face him. "Selina and Doctor Mills are training outside at the moment," she supplied, pointing to the slider doors. "They were in the workout room earlier, but Selina decided they'd be better off outside where there's more room to move around."

"Training?" Tommy quirked an eyebrow at the kind doctor and tilted his head. "Training for what?"

"Selina offered to teach Doctor Mills martial arts so he could overcome his issues," Doctor Davis explained. "He's pretty shell shocked after his ordeal at the Funhouse." She gave Tommy a pointed look and he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thanks for reminding me that my cousin is probably going to shoot me," Tommy muttered, not wasting any more time as he made his way to the slider doors and outside on the back deck.

He watched as Selina coached Doctor Mills through some basic beginner's moves, admiring her grace as she demonstrated them flawlessly and easily for the highly confused looking doctor. He gave her a few more minutes to show off, smirking as Doctor Mills fumbled through some of the motions. He was happy to see Selina well and seemingly happy, thankful that nothing was wrong with her and she wasn't in any kind of distress or trouble. He wondered again why his cousin, despite her anger towards him, had sent him home to Selina – if nothing was wrong, why would she send him away?

He was ripped out of his thoughts when Selina finally noticed him, running towards him and leaping into his arms. He caught her, wrapping his arms tight around her as she wrapped her legs around his waist and planted a smacking kiss to his lips. "What are you doing here?" She asked, pulling back just far enough to give him a skeptical look.

"You tell me," Tommy countered, grinning wolfishly at her and stroking her skin with his thumbs. "Jester sent me home and put Zsasz in my place, she said it was important for me to be here and once I was, I'd understand why she sent me away."

Catwoman laughed and gracefully set her feet back down on the ground. Her eyes glittered with mischief and excitement as she stared up at him, a smirk playing on her black-painted lips. "Oh, I love that girl," she mused, resting her hands on Tommy's shoulders.

Both of them were too focused on each other to notice the shocked and slightly fearful look on Doctor Mills' face as he finally noticed Tommy, his face paling just a little. He quickly ripped his gaze from the two of them, figuring Catwoman was about to break the news about her pregnancy to him and practiced the basic moves she had just shown him to keep himself busy and occupied.

"What's going on, Selina?" Tommy furrowed his eyebrows at her and gripped her by the waist, holding her in place as he regarded her. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine," she assured him with a smile, "but _you_ might not be after hearing what I have to say." Before Tommy could flip his lid at the insinuation, she pressed her finger to his lips and shushed him, looking him right in the eye as she spoke her next words. "I'm pregnant, Tommy. We're having a baby."

Tommy blinked, simply staring at her for a moment. It took him a few long moments to process the information and react, but once he did, he was ecstatic.

"You're... you're _pregnant_?!" He gripped her by her elbows and leaned down so he was eye to eye with her, making sure she was serious and this wasn't some kind of sick joke.

"I'm pregnant," Selina confirmed, grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. "I decided to wait to hear the heartbeat until you came home."

"Holy shit," Tommy breathed, pulling Catwoman into his arms and squeezing her gently. He kissed the top of her head, keeping her close to him as a wide grin stretched across his handsome face. "I'm gonna be a dad!"

"You're gonna be a dad," Catwoman mumbled into his chest, her laughter muffled.

"I'm gonna be a dad!" Tommy shouted, releasing her and doing a victory dance right there on the back deck, not giving a damn who might see. "I'm gonna be a dad! We're having a baby! You've got a baby in here!" He rested his hand on Catwoman's lower belly and smiled at her, tears welling up in his eyes. "Jester knows? This is why she sent me home?"

Catwoman was laughing, resting both of her hands on top of his and nodding at him. "They all know. I wasn't ready to tell anyone yet, but you know how your cousin is – she's a fucking bloodhound. She dragged it out of me the other morning and that's why the breakout is happening today instead of in a couple of weeks like we had originally planned."

"All of this..." Tommy's face fell and he looked ashamed, "is for me? To bring me home to you? Because you're pregnant?"

"Looks like you owe her one hell of an apology," Catwoman teased, winking at him, "and your soul, no doubt."

"Shit," Tommy muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "She's too good, man. She's too good. Even when she's mad, she's still got my back and she's still taking care of me. Johnny and Joker were right."

"What did they say?" Catwoman raised an eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips, waiting patiently for Tommy to answer her.

"Well, J said he had a feeling the breakout being bumped up to today had something to do with me, and Johnny followed that up by saying that being angry at all of us doesn't mean Jester doesn't love us or care about us anymore. I mean, I know that much about her, but I didn't think the breakout being bumped up had anything to do with me."

Catwoman chuckled and shook her head at him. "You know her, Tommy. You've known her all her life, she'll hold a grudge until the day she dies, but she'll do anything for her loved ones. She can hate and love you at the same time, and she'd do anything for you. You better come up with one hell of an apology for her once they're all back home and have gotten some rest."

"So this is why you weren't there," Tommy observed, lovingly caressing Catwoman's lower belly. "I didn't see you even once or hear you on the radio, no one even mentioned you. I figured you were just pissed off at me and laying low, but you weren't with Harley, Copperhead, Ivy, and Jester. It all makes sense now."

Catwoman nodded. "Jester wasn't going to force me to stay behind since she refused to do the same for the Arkham breakout, but I decided it'd be better to stay here... safer for the baby, you know?"

"I'm glad you did," Tommy sighed. "I can't stand the thought of you in that shit hole, pregnant and fighting. I won't keep you under lock and key like J did to Jester, but I sure as shit don't want you putting yourself in unnecessary danger."

"I'll be training this guy," Catwoman jabbed a thumb in Doctor Mills' direction and smirked, "so it looks like I won't be in any dangerous situations anytime soon. He needs a lot of work."

"I was a _much_ better student." Tommy waggled his eyebrows at her and scooped her up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course you were," Catwoman purred, stroking his cheek with her slender fingers. "The best, actually."

Tommy preened at that, pressing his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "I missed you, beautiful," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

"I missed you too," Catwoman whispered, kissing him once more. "We both did." She grinned down at her abdomen and Tommy smiled.

"I'm the happiest, luckiest man alive," he declared, keeping a tight hold on Catwoman. "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you," Catwoman giggled as Tommy showered her face with kisses, swinging her around carefully in his arms. They were both in their own happy little world, oblivious to everything and everyone else.

* * *

**Outskirts of Gotham City – The Batcave:**

Nightwing and Robin watched the news on the enormous computer in the Batcave, neither of them surprised as Joker's face splashed across the screen with his usual malicious grin stretching from ear to ear. Nightwing felt a chill run down his spine as Joker's metal grills glinted in the dim lighting he stood under; a constant reminder of Batman knocking his teeth out for the savage and horrific torture and murder of Jason Todd.

"_Good morning, Gotham," _he purred, _"Uncle J here, broadcasting to you live from Blackgate Penitentiary! My pals and I have taken over the prison, you see, and decided that we'd let all of the inmates out to play. If I were you, I'd lock your doors and stay off the streets – these guys are pretty depraved if I say so myself. They've done some very, very bad things..."_

His wicked laughter set both men on edge and Robin scowled. "This is prerecorded," he observed, watching the footage very carefully and noticing how quiet and calm the background of the video was.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Nightwing agreed, keeping his eyes glued to the screen as Joker's laughter ceased and his voice lowered to his usual growl. Joker's face was void of any traces of amusement now, a stony and murderous look bleeding into his expression.

"_This is your invitation to our little party, Bats," _Joker's eyes flashed with what looked like rage for a moment, _"We want you and all of your little brats to come and join us. It wouldn't be a party without my favorite dark knight in attendance, after all! So, Batsy buddy, round up all the kiddies and meet us here – we've got tons of fun in store for all of you!" _The camera shook violently as Joker picked it up, whistling Tiny Tim's 'Tip Toe Thru the Tulips with Me' in the background as he moved through what looked like the control room of the prison. Moments later, the camera was plummeting towards the stone floor. They heard Riddler shouting at Joker in the background but could only pick up the words _"mindless, camera, freak,"_ and _"dammit!"_ The video went black and cut out as the camera crashed into the floor, clearly broken.

"_And there you have it, folks," _Vicki Vale's grim expression replaced Joker's face as she stood stoically in front of the GCPD._ "Will Batman and the Bat-Family subdue these criminals and save the day, or is this the end of Gotham City as we know it? Stay tuned!"_

"Blackgate, huh?" Robin stroked his chin in thought, still staring up at the screen as he mulled the situation over.

"Blackgate," Nightwing echoed, glancing down at Robin. "If they're expecting all of us, they're watching and waiting for us to show up. We can't just go in blind, we need a plan. There's no way we're getting over that bridge without being ambushed, and honestly, this is way too dangerous for you."

"With Barbara and Bruce missing, I'm all you've got," Robin argued coolly, moving towards the large table in the middle of the platform they stood on. He examined the digital map of Gotham City and moved around the table until he was standing over the digital version of the Blackgate Penitentiary. He studied every point of entry from the bridge to the roof to the Gotham River surrounding it. "I've got an idea, Dick, but you're not gonna like it."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Nightwing sighed, coming over to join Robin at the table, "I hate to admit it, kid, but I don't have many options. Tell me what you're thinking, Tim."

Robin groaned and shook his head in disbelief at what he was about to propose. He hated the plan as much as he knew Nightwing would, but they didn't have any other choice. It was this, or risking ambushes they wouldn't be properly prepared for without Batman and Batgirl. Come Hell or high water, Robin was going to that prison and helping to save his guardian and his friend. He was done with being forced to stay behind when it came to Joker and the other more dangerous, murderous Rogues in Batman's gallery and knew this would be the perfect opportunity to prove to Bruce that he could handle himself in the field with or without him.

* * *

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Penitentiary Control Room:**

Riddler scowled and threw his bowler hat to the floor in his fury as he watched Robin and Nightwing crawl into the basement through what looked to be the sewer. "Clever little _brats_," he sneered, picking up his radio and watching with narrowed eyes as the two vigilantes tried to navigate the large, dark room in search of the door leading to the upper floors of the prison.

"Houston, we have a problem!" His tone was laced with his ire as he announced the arrival of Robin and Nightwing to the others, furious that they had gotten past all of the inmates, guards, and henchmen stationed all around the prison to ambush them. "We have a bird infestation in the basement. The dirty little pests came in through the sewers, so I advise you all to keep a safe distance if you don't particularly enjoy the stench of the waste of Gotham's degenerate, brainless citizens."

He set the radio back down and went to work locking the basement down to trap both men inside while the others scrambled to find them and capture them. He giggled to himself as every door in the basement locked and every vent closed, relishing in his success.

"How silly of them to think it would ever be that easy," he mused to himself, tapping away on the keyboard to keep the doors and vents locked uptight. "Vigilantes," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Such arrogant little monkeys."

* * *

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Penitentiary – Random Corridor:**

Joker and Scarecrow both stopped as Riddler's voice came through the radio, alerting everyone to the arrival of the junior vigilantes.

"No Batgirl?" Joker cocked an eyebrow as he stared at his radio, the wheels in his mind turning as he tried to imagine where she must be.

"Apparently not," Scarecrow said, scanning the corridor they were in and ignoring the rioting inmates and brawls breaking out all around them.

"It's about time the wonder boy showed up," Joker grinned maliciously and Scarecrow chuckled. "I think I'll take a detour."

"Perhaps I should return to the Morgue," Scarecrow turned to face Joker and his burning orange gaze bore into Joker's. "I'm sure Riddler has contained them for the moment."

They both perked up at the sound of Jester's voice crackling through the static on their radios.

"_Everyone get to your stations," _she commanded, _"Copperhead, Harley and I are splitting up. Scarecrow, Joker, Bane, and Two-Face – we will be luring them to you guys accordingly. Keep them busy in the meantime, Riddler."_

"_As you wish, my liege," _Riddler's sarcasm wasn't lost on the two men and Joker rolled his eyes.

"One of those brats has an antidote for Batsy," Joker growled into his radio, watching in amusement as three inmates pummeled each other just a few feet away. "My money is on the littlest one."

"_Bring the Batman to me," _Bane's voice boomed through the radio and Scarecrow scowled at the jarring noise.

"_Zsasz, I want you to find Johnny and Hammer. Bring the Bat to Two-Face and his boys and put him in time-out. I don't want that antidote reaching him before then." _

"_Consider it done, boss," _Joker growled at the sound of Victor Zsasz's voice, wondering just how the hell the deranged man was alive and in one piece.

Noticing the slightly puzzled look on Joker's face, Scarecrow laughed. He ignored the way some of the inmates in the corridor stopped what they were doing and cast fearful glances in his direction as the growling undertone of his voice echoed down the corridor. "Hugo Strange," Scarecrow supplied, amused by Joker's look of mild surprise.

"That guy's still flying under the radar? I assumed he was dead, he's been a little too _quiet _since he was exposed for his little experiments."

"I'm sure Jester will fill you in later once we have returned home," Scarecrow assured Joker before turning away to head back towards the Morgue. "Right now, there isn't any time."

"Going back to your playpen?" Joker taunted, smirking at Scarecrow.

"Indeed," Scarecrow said coolly. "With the Batman incapacitated, Jester is safe for the moment." He said nothing else as he took his leave, leaving smoldering footprints on the stone floor as he made his way down the corridor towards the stairway.

Joker pushed aside his musings about Dr. Hugo Strange's abilities and moved through the corridor, amused at the way the inmates, guards, and numerous henchmen from different crews scrambled to get out of his way in fear of being slaughtered.

Joker mimicked tipping a hat as he passed by, cackling loudly and walking with a spring in his step. Today, he'd kill another Robin and chip away at the tattered remains of Batman's sanity. The idea made him deliriously giddy and he cackled even louder, nearly skipping his way down the stairs towards the basement of the prison. He knew he'd cross paths with Jester again soon – after all, she had agreed to bring Robin to him.

* * *

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Penitentiary – The Jungle:**

Hammer watched as Poison Ivy concentrated, manipulating the vines in the basement to snatch up the two vigilantes and hold them until her fellow Rogues could subdue and capture them.

"How do you do that?" Hammer asked, watching in amazement as vines grew and snapped around the redhead.

"I speak to them," Poison Ivy said nonchalantly, opening her eyes for a moment to regard him. She gave him a dazzling smile before closing her eyes once more, focusing on the plants in the basement and manipulating them to become large venus flytraps like the one she was currently perched in. She grinned and her eyes snapped open as her plants swallowed the two vigilantes, keeping a vice grip on them as they fought like hell to escape.

"Silly men," Poison Ivy chided smugly, "they're no match for my babies."

Hammer barked a laugh and rose to his feet, preparing to take his leave once Victor Zsasz came to collect him with Johnny Frost.

"I know I don't have to ask, but I'm gonna anyway," he began tentatively, giving Poison Ivy his best no-nonsense look. "You gonna be okay without me here?"

Poison Ivy laughed, the melodic, soft sound echoing in the concrete Jungle. "Of course, dear," she said kindly, her eyes glittering with amusement. "I usually prefer to work alone anyway."

Hammer nodded, reaching for her hand and stopping at the last minute, rethinking what would've been a very bad idea.

"I appreciate the thought," Poison Ivy cooed, winking at him. "Now run along, Hammer. We all have work to do."

Hammer grinned at her and bowed slightly before her, making her chuckle, and then began making his way towards the entrance of the Jungle where he waited patiently for Zsasz and Johnny.

* * *

**Blackgate Isle – Blackgate Penitentiary – Death Row:**

Victor Zsasz, Johnny Frost, and Hammer dragged an extremely disoriented and terrified Batman through the corridor, all of them grinning like the Cheshire Cat as they dropped him in front of Two-Face and his men.

Two-Face laughed gleefully, kicking the caped crusader as hard as he could in the ribs and delighting in the grunt of pain that came out of the vigilante. "Look at this, boys! Got ourselves a caped criminal!"

Two-Face's henchmen laughed humorlessly, too afraid of the deranged man and his split personalities to do anything but appease him.

"Lock him up," Two-Face barked, motioning to an empty cell across from the guard post they had commandeered, "and disarm him, for fuck's sake."

Two-Face's men worked quickly and diligently as they stripped Batman of his utility belt and all of his gadgets, gratefully accepting Hammer's help as they destroyed the hi-tech computer built into the forearm of his suit.

"No phone privileges in Death Row," Two-Face taunted, grinning madly as Batman groaned and murmured gibberish under his breath in his weak, distraught state.

The floor shook as Bane made his way out of Solitary and down the Death Row corridor towards them, his masked face showing no emotion as he stopped just before the cell that Two-Face's men, Zsasz, Johnny, and Hammer were tossing Batman into.

"Special delivery," Zsasz sing-songed, shooting Bane a smug look.

"Today is the day I break him," Bane growled, looking through the bars and watching as Batman curled into a ball on the cold stone floor, weeping and apologizing to whoever he was seeing in his current state. "Today, I defeat the Batman."

"Yeah, yeah, that's great," Two-Face snapped, shooing his henchmen away and coming to stand beside Bane as they watched Batman struggle. "I'm invoking my right to knock him senseless before you get those meat hooks of yours on him."

Bane glared down at Two-Face, a scowl forming on his mouth. "If you must," Bane growled, narrowing his eyes at the half-burnt ex DA. "But I will be the one to finish him."

"What a shame I won't be able to stick around to enjoy the show," Victor Zsasz lamented, a frown marring his face. "I'd pay to see that."

"You'll see it," Johnny cut in, giving Zsasz a coy look. "Riddler's gonna broadcast it to all of Gotham City."

Victor Zsasz's face lit up at that and he clapped his hands excitedly. "How wonderful," he chirped, "it's like Christmas come early!"

Hammer watched Victor Zsasz with a curious expression on his face, raising an eyebrow as he watched the man saunter arrogantly down the corridor towards the staircase.

"That's our cue," Johnny said, nodding at Two-Face and Bane as he turned to take his leave. "Let's go, Hammer."

Hammer said nothing as he followed Johnny towards the same door Victor Zsasz had just disappeared through.

"How disappointing that we don't have time for a proper trial," Two-Face growled, fingering his coin in his pocket. "I always loved a compelling case, and this jagoff's got an impressive criminal tab racked up."

Bane shook his head in annoyance and waved Two-Face off as he made his way back to Solitary. "Make sure he doesn't die in there, Toasty," Bane called over his shoulder, not bothering to spare a glance at his fellow Rogue. "I want him coherent and alive. It would be dishonorable to fight him in this condition."

Two-Face rolled his eyes and huffed, glaring daggers into the large luchador's back. "Sure thing, freak," he spat, slipping back into the guard post and settling himself back in his seat at the table. "Let's up the buy-in," he growled, grinning at his henchmen. "Let's say $200."

He ignored the scathing looks his henchmen shot him as they begrudgingly obeyed, stacking up their money in the center of the table and all of them glaring at the overflowing pot.

* * *

**Joker's Funhouse – House of Mirrors:**

Ruiz watched the cameras from the hidden backroom, smirking as he watched Commissioner Gordon try to navigate his way through the park and obediently following the green spray-painted arrows he had created. "Come on," he muttered, drumming his fingers on the armrests of the office chair he was sitting in, "just a little closer, _pendejo_."

Ruiz was becoming impatient, itching to put an end to the Commissioner's life and ultimately, his reign in Gotham. Today was the day that the Rogues took over Gotham City and destroyed the Bat-Family, the Commissioner, and the citizens' confidence in Batman and their sense of safety and security. Batman had been terrorizing the villains, Rogues, and criminals of Gotham City for long enough – it was time for a change.

He grinned as the smell of kerosene wafted into the room and reached into his pocket to fetch his pack of matches and a zippo lighter. He frowned for a moment, a little disheartened at the idea of torching the House of Mirrors, but quickly forced the slight notion of regret out of his mind.

"I don't need to remind you of your task," Ruiz cast a glance at one of his underlings in the tiny room with him and fixed him with a warning look, "do I?"

"No, Ruiz," the man assured him, giving him a nod in acknowledgment. "I know what I must do."

"_Bueno_," Ruiz grinned mischievously as he turned back towards the cameras. The Commissioner was getting closer and closer, but he was still moving too slow for Ruiz.

"This cop," he spat in disgust, "he likes to take his time."

"_Si_," his underling agreed. "Could be his old age," he mused, a small smile stretching across his mouth.

Ruiz laughed, lighting himself up a smoke as he kept a hawk-eye on Commissioner Gordon. "You know, Vasquez, I think you're right."

Vasquez folded his hands behind his back and gave his superior a lopsided grin.

"I think we should grab him," came a voice from the other corner.

Ruiz slammed his hands down on the desk and whipped around to glare at his other underling. "No!" His icy tone made the man flinch. "You will do as you are told and nothing else, _entiendes_?"

"_Si_, Ruiz. _Lo siento_." The man put his hands up in a show of surrender, backing further into his corner. He knew that cross look on Ruiz's face very well – if he continued to vex his superior, his throat would be slit in a heartbeat and his drained corpse would be shoved into the sewer for Killer Croc to devour.

Vasquez shot his fellow underling a scolding look and clicked his tongue as he shook his head in disappointment. "_Joder tonto," _he chided quietly, keeping his eyes locked on the other man's.

The other man flicked his wrist in dismissal at Vasquez, turning his head to the side and ignoring the dirty looks he was receiving from both men in favor of watching the cameras.


End file.
